That I May Protect
by Vindictive Penmanship
Summary: All Naruto wanted was the power to protect the village he loved. Kurama agrees to train him so that he could attain that power. Along the way, he loses himself and gains an unexpected family. A gift is bestowed upon him that could be all he wanted and the bane of his existence. Naruto is no longer the Naruto anyone knew, but one person wants Naruto back more than all. Warning:SLASH
1. Prologue

Hello! It's my first story, yay~ *throws confetti and hands out cake* I'm actually a little nervous about posting it, but whatever. Hope you all like it! You probably won't, but who cares~

Naruto will be very unlike himself as this story progresses, but that was done on purpose. He will not be as out of character eventually.

I will make a point right now that this is more of an alternate storyline. It follows almost nothing canonically. It does, however, take place in the same world with the same characters, etc. And I will underline this now there will be eventual slash. If you do not like this sort of thing, then you can choose to press that back button now. 

Disclaimer: I own only the plot.

* * *

That I May Protect

Prologue

* * *

Every time. Every single time. Naruto sighed as he stared down at the village from his spot, perched on the Hokage monument, between two spikes of the Yondaime's hair. He stared sadly at his bleeding wounds that had been inflicted upon him by the villagers, eyeing them as they healed at an inhuman pace. His eyes drifted down to the village and he gazed at the silent scene, a sad smile curving onto his lips.

He loved Konoha – he really did. But in turn, all the village did was throw hatred upon his shoulders, weighing him down until they thought he would never stand up again. That was all he was to them. The demon-spawn who should have never been born in the first place.

The blonde raised his pure eyes, cornflower in hue, to the night sky. Sometimes he felt as though the stars were the only ones he could talk to – his only friends. But unlike normal friends, they could not speak back. They could only listen. He wondered what it would be like to have people that would not be afraid to speak with you and listen to you.

His happy-go-lucky charade had forever been branded into him. He would always put on a brave face towards the village that hated him so much, but there were times when the pain was just far too much to carry on his eight-year old shoulders.

He lowered his gaze back down to the slumbering village, wishing there was a way. He had many ambitions in life, and he was a rather stubborn child. He knew that perfectly well. To have them pushed down and crushed so many times over, only made his resolve to achieve his goals strengthen.

Sighing, he whispered a quiet prayer to the stars that he knew would listen, but never respond, before standing up, and beginning his descent from the monument. He just wanted to protect. Even if his loud proclamations of being Hokage and whatnot were still exclaimed without hesitation, what he truly wanted was to protect the village he loved. Was that too much to ask?

His feet were slower than normal as he continued his descent. Perhaps he didn't want to return to his house and go to sleep only to wake up to the horrifying reality that his life was. He sighed softly, feeling a little light-headed. Blaming it on the altitude, he thought nothing of it, and continued to take step after step down the long stairway that reached from the ground to the very top of the monument.

His eyes widened as the light-headedness he was feeling made him grow dizzy, and he slipped off the step he was currently on. He squeaked in surprise, and quickly tried to catch a grip on something – anything – but there was none.

No one heard the scream of the eight-year old boy as he plummeted down from the monument to the ground below which was, as one could guess, not what could be called soft.

The last thing Naruto saw before his back made harsh contact with the ground, knocking him out, was the stars glittering up in the night sky. He gasped as he hit the ground, swearing he could hear a crack, and soon passed out due to the violence of his landing.

* * *

He opened his eyes to find himself in a room that he had never seen before. It seemed to be a very dreary place, in his opinion. He wondered where he was, or why he was even there. Come to think of it, how had he gotten there? He didn't remember travelling anywhere.

Memories of the fall returned to him, and he blinked, a little curiously. Was he dreaming, or was this where people go when they die? He had to be dead – that fall was nothing a normal human could survive, and he was smart enough to know that.

He looked around the place for a long while, and walked around, trying to find anything that would hint as to where he was. He gazed down at the watery ground beneath him, and poked at it, wondering why he wasn't drowning. That _was_ water, right? Although he had seen shinobi walk on water, he had never done it before. He should be drowning, according to reason.

"Is anyone here? Hello?" he called out, looking around. He continued to walk along, seeing nothing much but that same dreary scene no matter how far he walked. He spotted something further down, and curiously walked towards it.

He was met with a gate, but one unlike any he had seen before. This had to be the biggest gate he'd ever seen. Was it to contain something? If so, what? He looked around once more, but received nary a response. Was anyone even in here in the first place?

"Hello?" Still no response.

Seeing no harm in it, he stepped through the wide set bars, and looked around. He was surprised to see that the area within the gate seemed a little more comfortable, but that was not saying much. It seemed more like a living quarters. So someone did live here.

"May I ask why you trespass in my domain, child?" a somewhat arrogant voice questioned. Naruto whirled around, wide eyed, as he caught sight of a man he had never seen before. Sensing the obviously great amounts of power that resided within the man, he bowed respectfully.

"I apologize for intruding, but there was no response when I called so I assumed there was no one here." He remained in his bow, not daring to stand up straight, until heard a sigh, and felt a hand pull him up into a standing position, and stare at him, tilting his chin up slightly.

Naruto took this chance to observe the man. Middle-aged and tall with somewhat wild, long, fiery hair that fell down to the middle of his back, and piercing amber eyes. His build was obviously strong, but also somewhat slender. He was garbed in a royal blue yukata scattered over with gold foxes and nine tails branching out in the back from where it was held up at the waist with a simple gold obi. His face was angular, but the effect was softened somewhat by the bangs that framed it. Embedded in the centre of his forehead, was a red jewel. His yukata was left a little looser around the top, revealing part of his chest. Upon his chest, Naruto could see a strange sort of seal.

He released Naruto, and made to walk away. Naruto stared after him, and finally found the voice to speak. "Wait!" He turned with a raised eyebrow, and stared at the blonde. Naruto bit his lip slightly.

"Please tell me where I am, and who you are," he requested, bowing in respect, but this time standing up straight again. A dry, humourless smile curled onto the man's lips as he sat lounged on a couch, and motioned for Naruto to come closer with a slender digit. Naruto obeyed. What else could he do?

"Sit down, child," he stated, motioning to a chair. Naruto did so, but continued to stare. The man sighed, and pushed himself up slightly, propping himself on his elbow, which rested on the armrest of the couch.

"I am the demon inside of you – what the people call Kyuubi no Kitsune." His eyes showed obvious animosity as he spoke. "Where else could you be if I am here? You are within your own subconscious, child." Naruto frowned thoughtfully.

"You aren't a fox though," he stated bluntly but honestly. The man rolled his eyes.

"I am not in my form most powerful. If I was, the amount of pressure that could be placed on your body could kill you – you are only a child. I prefer this form much better as well." Naruto gazed at him curiously, and a little apprehensively.

"Why did you destroy the village?" he asked, his voice curious. The Kyuubi blinked, before his eyes widened, and his already narrow pupils became slits.

"That's none of your business, child! All you need to know is that I enjoyed it. All those people dying and screaming in terror as I crushed them without a second thought. I loved the time when I did that, and I will never regret it," he snarled.

Naruto flinched at the outburst, before once again staring at the Kyuubi. He blinked for a moment, and looked closer, before sighing. He slid off the chair, and walked up to him, no fear in his eyes. He stared directly at him, and bit his lip before speaking.

"Kyuubi-sama, that's not the reason is it? Something's hurting you." He raised a hand and laid it on top of the demon's own which was resting in his lap. The Kyuubi stared at him, surprised. He frowned. "It's in your eyes. Demons are more honourable that that, aren't they? There must have been a reason. It's hurting you, and if you keep denying it, your anger will grow too great."

Silence reigned between them as Naruto didn't meet the demon's eyes, and the Kyuubi stared at him, slight shock within his own. Finally, a smirk of sorts spread onto the man's face, and he chuckled lowly, pulling his hand from under Naruto's and ruffling his hair.

"You remind me of someone..." He sighed softly, before sitting up straight, and staring down at Naruto. "Your perception of things beyond what the eye can see merits this knowledge. You have heard the story from the villagers' perspective – I will tell you from my own." Naruto nodded, and he began.

"It was a very long time ago, but there existed an era where demons and humans were able to coexist and live together in harmony. That was before chakra was discovered by humans. Of course, the demons already knew about the existence of chakra, but we also knew the danger in revealing it to humans.

"Humans are very greedy creatures – when they want something, they will do whatever it takes to get it. That is only their nature, thriving within them from a very young age. Even wants that seem good are still greed." The Kyuubi smirked slightly. "You always say you want to be Hokage, or you want to protect the village. Those are all wants, and the greater the want, the greater the greed.

"Anyway, when humans discovered chakra, the want for power grew, and they thought that getting their hands on the demons would somehow gain them more power. That great power also drew rifts, and that is why there are all the different lands and villages you know of today.

"I am not merely a demon. I am one of the nine in the demon council – the ninth to be exact. The demon council are made from the most powerful demons in the entire realm, each signified by their tails. I, as you know, am the ninth; the most powerful and also the lord of the demon realm." He sighed, and averted his eyes slightly from the blonde.

"According to unanimous agreement from the council, the demons retreated into hiding from humans. But they were still power hungry." Kyuubi's face softened ever so slightly.

"I had a mate. She was not a part of the demon council, but held power in her own right. We lived a little ways from Konoha, away from civilization, within the forest." His face contorted into a piercing glare at nothing in particular.

"My mate was having kits, and everyone knows that birthtime is when one is most vulnerable, for humans and demons alike. I did not know that there were shinobi waiting for just that moment. My mate was at her weakest, and my kits had just been born – that was when they decided to attack.

"The attack was lead by a certain man, who claimed he was Uchiha Madara. I had heard of the Uchiha before, and I did not want to fight. Not because I would be defeated, but because my mate was there. The chakra of a demon is so powerful, it could be considered dangerous if one was exposed for too long in it. I tried to protect her and my kits, but in this form, and having to take my family into consideration, the humans outnumbered me. They took advantage of this, and tried to grab at her power – even a weak demon is a powerful one for a human." The Kyuubi's eyes slid shut.

"Their attempts which I could not stop, killed her. The after effect of the wreckage that the unleashed chakra caused killed my newborn kits as well. That drove me into a rage, and I attacked them. They called for reinforcements, and began to attack me from the village as well, but due to rage and grief, I attacked them in my true form, and destroyed the village.

"The Yondaime Hokage, who I doubt had anything to do with this plan, decided that enough was enough, and I had to be sealed away, so he sealed me into a newborn child, eight years ago. I'm certain that you know of this child," he finished, before falling silent. Naruto nodded slowly, allowing it all to sink in.

"It was me..." To that, the Kyuubi remained silent. They both knew the answer. Naruto stared up at him.

"So that's why you hate humans so much?" he asked innocently. The Kyuubi fixated him with his piercing amber stare for a few moments, before gazing back out at nothing in particular.

"The term 'demon' may not conventionally be acquainted with other terms that hold positive connotation, but we are beings that have ability beyond that of a human. One of our many abilities, is to sense the purity of a human. That may change over time, but we can clearly see and sense the purity of a human. We know who is worthy of our trust and who is not."

"But all shinobi have killed and everyone does bad things," Naruto queried, merely out of curiosity. The Kyuubi's lips curved up slightly.

"Our judgement is scarce imprecise, even if our actions regarding the situation are prone to being the wrong ones," he stated. Naruto nodded, trying to comprehend all this in his head. A sudden thought came to mind, and he turned to look up at the Kyuubi.

"Kyuubi-sama, am I dead?" he questioned. The man seemed a little surprised at the question, even though he hid it very well.

"Of course you are not. I am sealed within you, so your death will result in mine. I believe that you were merely forced into this segment of your mind due to the fact that I had to use a greater amount of chakra than normal to heal you." Naruto's eyes widened.

"It was you?" The Kyuubi rolled his eyes.

"Do you know of any one else which would make sense of your healing?" Naruto had no answer to that. The last time Sandaime had taken him to a hospital to get him healed only resulted in the doctors trying to kill him. Thankfully, the Hokage had gone to check on him and rescued him.

"Thank you so much, Kyuubi-sama," he stated gratefully, gazing up at the demon. "I wish I could do something for you – you've already done so much for me..." The Kyuubi merely rolled his eyes, but Naruto was sure he could catch a slight hint of fondness within them.

"I am not dishonourable enough to ask a favour of a child," he stated, his slightly arrogant tone back. Naruto frowned for a moment at the statement, before gazing back up at the Kyuubi.

"May I ask a favour of you, Kyuubi-sama?" he questioned. The man nodded for him to go on. Naruto bit his lip, and lowered his eyes for a moment before continuing. "Will you please teach me?" he asked. "I wish to become strong so that I can protect the village, even if I don't become Hokage. I want you to train me, because you're strong, and you can teach me to be strong too." He paused for a moment, before discontinuing. He had a feeling he had said enough.

For a moment the Kyuubi was silent, before he dipped his head in agreement. "So be it. I will train you, but I am warning you: I will not go easy on you because you are a child. You will address me as appropriate. You are to listen to me, and do as I say without complaint. Question is allowed, but only if it is worth asking. I trust you have the intelligence to know what is and is not worth asking. But I will say now. If you want me to train you, you must leave the village." Naruto's eyes widened.

"What?" Kyuubi shook his head, a serious expression in his eyes.

"I will not repeat myself." Naruto blinked.

"Kyuubi-sama, why will I need to leave the village?" he asked. The man chuckled slightly.

"That is because I intend to train you thoroughly. You will need a place where you will not be disturbed, and where you may demolish your surroundings without punishment." Naruto frowned. Being a child, the idea of being able to destroy things sounded rather appealing, but at the moment, he wasn't sure if he should agree.

Finally, after having thought through the entire option at hand, he nodded, determined. "I will. I doubt I will be missed too much, and when I return, I will be strong enough to protect the village." The Kyuubi nodded, before standing up, and glancing over at the blonde.

"Indeed. But now you must wake – the night is far spent. Your body has been undergoing a rigorous healing process, so you should be able to do most things although you must go easy on yourself today. You will leave today, and head due southwest to the area of no man's land in the Land of Rivers between Tanigakure and Amegakure." Naruto nodded, and stood up, a smile spreading onto his face, directed at the Kyuubi. He bowed out of respect, before laughing slightly.

"Thank you, Kyuubi-sama. I know I am a kid, but I'll try my best not to disappoint you." The Kyuubi stared at him for a moment, before nodding as the boy's subconscious state faded into one of consciousness, leaving him once more alone with his own thoughts.

His lips slowly curled into something of a sad smile. That boy...something about him seemed familiar, or at least more than it should have. He sighed, and gazed up at the unending expanse of space that was his prison in the furthest corners of Naruto's mind.

 _Akane..._

* * *

Naruto snapped back into consciousness, and winced as the first thing that his mind registered was the pain. He sighed softly, and stared at the sky, which was still dark. It was evident that the dawn was just about to break. He sighed and sat up, groaning as pain shot up his back. Healing he may be, but that didn't make it hurt any less. He really owed the Kyuubi one for this.

He pushed himself to his feet, and took a step forward. A sharp pain flew up his back, but he tolerated it. He was extremely fortunate to be alive after falling from such a height. He bit his lip to stifle his noises of pain, and continued to walk for his house.

Quietly, he padded through the streets, and entered his house. He looked around, before pulling out a backpack from the closet – he had found all sort of things there – and began to pack. He winced slightly with every step he took, but was beginning to grow accustomed to the pain.

He packed with him every weapon he had, and managed to fit in a few sets of clothing as well. He sighed softly, and glanced back at his closet. He shut it, and pulled out a piece of paper from a nearby drawer. Grabbing a brush and ink, he wrote a note addressed to the Hokage, and left it on his bed. He would not tell the Hokage of course – he didn't want to be kept back.

Hefting his bag onto his back, he flinched at the pain, but bore it, and began to walk just as the sun broke over the edge of the village, bathing Konoha in a warm golden light. Naruto smiled, and began to walk. Perhaps if he left early and travelled at a good pace, he would be able to make it there in two or three days.

He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, before making a dash for it, and running out of the village and into the forest. No sooner was he at least a hundred metres into the forest, he stopped, staring at the village gates from over his shoulder. He turned back to the forest, and once again began to walk, not looking back.

His mind drifted back to the Kyuubi, who he now knew. He couldn't find it in himself to feel anything antagonistic towards the fox-demon. After all, it had been the Kyuubi who had healed him all those times the villagers had tried to kill him or at least hurt him. The Kyuubi hadn't done what he had out of spite, and in Naruto's opinion, he had all the right in the world to wreak havoc on the village that had killed both his mate and kits.

Naruto still cared about the village though. He didn't fully understand why, but there was a certain joy he revelled in when he thought about protecting the village so that it could be a happy place. He wanted children to be able to play like that all the time without a care in the world, which was why he wanted to grow stronger. So that he could protect the village from whoever bore ill will against it, even if he had to do so alone.

His steps adjusted to his injury, and soon he found himself more at a brisk running pace. He let his worries slip his mind as he continued to run. It wasn't only that he wanted to grow stronger, he knew. He had to grow stronger. He didn't know why, but he could feel a strange sort of foreboding course through his body that practically screamed impending danger.

For how long he had run, he didn't know, but it was beginning to take its toll on his young body. He slowed down, to a fairly brisk walking pace, and looked around to see if anyone was there. Not seeing or sensing anyone, he fixed his eyes on the forest before him.

He wondered if anyone had taken note of his disappearance. His thoughts took on a slightly sour tone as he wondered if anyone would hold a celebration upon discovery of his disappearance. To be honest, he really couldn't put it past them.

He stopped by a tree, and decided to take a short break. Easing the pack off his back, he sat down, resting against the trunk. He stared up at the sky, and sighed softly before pulling his knees up to his chest, and resting his chin upon them.

 _Child, stand. Lesson one begins now._

Naruto blinked at the voice in his head, but held up his part of the bargain and made no complaint. Besides – if the Kyuubi was alive when demons and humans lived together, he must be wise. Naruto knew that as a child he himself was still naive, and would probably not understand the reasoning of the demon. He pushed himself to his feet, and waited for further instructions.

 _First I will give you a thorough lesson about chakra, then a will teach you some simple ways in which you can make use of your knowledge. Listen carefully, child. I will make you repeat to me all that I have taught you when I am done._

Naruto nodded, and listened intently, not wanting to miss out on anything that could benefit him or the village.

Not long after his comprehension had been tested, he found himself trying simple jutsu. He wondered if the Kyuubi was teaching him like the Academy would, or like he had been trained himself. Naruto paused in his rather complex kata that had been given him to do.

 _Don't stop, child. This is for your self-defence. You are not yet at your destination, but do not expect your journey to be as smooth as it has been so far. You have unusually large reserves of chakra for a human, and that combined with my chakra makes you a formidable force. If people were to know who you are, they'd do anything to get their hands on you._

Naruto continued, but that didn't stop his thoughts from running off. He could feel a small bead of sweat trickle down his cheek, but had not heard any given order to stop, so he began once more, speeding his movements up slightly.

The sun was slowly rising to its zenith in the sky, and Naruto was still going strong. He always had been known for incredible stamina anyway. He was called to stop and rest for a little while before moving on.

 _You've been making good pace, child. By any good fortune, we should be able to reach the border of the Land of Fire by noontime tomorrow._

Naruto smiled, and nodded quietly to himself. He took a drink of water from a canteen that he had tied onto his pack. After a few minutes rest, he began his run again, the pain in his back barely noticeable this time around.

A slow grin spread across his face. Even if it would hurt, he would return to Konoha as a stronger ninja that could protect the village. He knew it would take a long time, but he trusted it would all be worth it. Besides – didn't he have the best sensei he could ever ask for?

Naruto dashed on, this time without looking back.

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Please tell me what you think about this! *holds plate of cookies out with puppy dog eyes* :)

Also, I just love the thought of Kurama being like a father figure to Naruto~ Screw hatred - this is much cuter.


	2. Chapter 1

I have a lot of explaining to do, but before I drone on about that, I'd just like to thank all the people who reviewed, favourited and followed - you all are wonderful, you know that? You're awesome, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise :D Have an Itachi plushie~ *throws plushies*

If you don't read this explanation, then I can assure you that the chapter will make no sense at all. For one thing, the last chapter wasn't a chapter, it was a prologue. As in preceding the actual story. The actual fic is not based on his training (I suck at stuff like that) it's based on his return to Konoha and whatever happens in succession. The story will purposely be a little quick paced in the first few chapters, but will slow down. Whatever random jutsu you've never seen in the manga or anime is just the fabrication of my delirious mind ;) Also, Over the course of his training, I expect that Naruto would have learned that the Kyuubi's real name is Kurama, so from now on he will be addressed as such. This is seven years after Tsunade became Hokage, so everyone is 16-17-ish.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot~ (I think)

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That I May Protect

Chapter 1: Welcome Home

* * *

Time had passed ever since that day where a young boy had decided to flee the village. Many things had happened over the time when he had left, including the Kyuubi drawing his training to a temporary close so that he could assess the child.

Naruto had returned to Konoha seven years ago, and had become a genin, before leaving to train once more. It had been seven years since he had seen the village. It had been seven years since he had seen all his friends back in the village.

Long gone was the obnoxiously loud child that the village had once known, replaced instead by this silent killer. Blonde hair fell just to the base of his neck, and clothes had gone from a bright orange to a more subtle black. He wore a typical black shirt and pants with the customary fishnet shirt.

Unadulterated blue eyes were now slightly tinged with purple from the merged chakra of the Kyuubi with his own. Naruto stepped up to the possessed shadow-clone that was his sensei, and bowed deeply. The clone merely smiled somewhat proudly, before pulling him back into a standing position.

"You've grown, kit. Use your wisdom in all your actions. I will be with you if you need me, but I strongly doubt you will." The red-haired man smiled slightly, but it was open and fond. Naruto felt gratified that he was able to learn from Kurama. He smiled slightly in return.

"You know I will always need you, Kurama-sama," he chuckled slightly. "Both of us don't have much of a choice in the matter." Kurama reached up and ruffled his hair fondly, before lowering his hand, a serious look crossing his eyes.

"Go now. Your time away from Konoha has stretched for long enough. Your friends have all believed that you were sent on a long term mission. Being away for longer might make them suspect something." Kurama paused.

"But first, I wish to give you something." Naruto gazed up at him, the slightest hint of question in his eyes. Kurama reached up and laid his hand on Naruto's forehead, speaking as he did so. "As lord of the demons, I have been blessed with this. It is my duty to pass it on to my heir. I have no heir and my realm is near extinction. You are the closest I've ever had to a son, Naruto."

Naruto's eyes widened at the statement, and he could not stop the overwhelming emotion that flowed through his body. Not because of whatever was to be bestowed upon him, but because of the Kyuubi's statement. Never would he ever have thought that Kurama of all people would think of him as family.

"The secrets are for I to know, and you to discover. It is only customary for you to unearth the secrets of this yourself. I can only tell you how to use what you have discovered. I give you the Hakaigan, Naruto. Use it well."

He removed his hand from Naruto's forehead to reveal a jewel quite similar to his own, embedded in the blonde's forehead. Naruto reached up to touch it, before smiling slightly, and bowing once more. "Thank you, Kurama-sama."

Kurama merely bowed his head in response, and Naruto allowed the shadow clone to dissipate as the Kyuubi returned back into him. Naruto then began to run back to the place he still called home at a faster speed. He knew that at that rate, he would make it there by sundown. Was it just him, or did he see a strange light within the demon lord's eyes before he dissolved the clone? He shook his head.

A sudden thought came to mind, and he changed his course midway. He hadn't seen them for over a year now – he supposed he owed them a visit. He dashed quickly through the trees, due southeast, and soon made it to his destination.

Performing a series of seals, he deactivated the one protecting the hideout, and entered in. He knew he would not be stopped, even as he looked around for the people who he had called family, and the people who had taken him in as family.

"Welcome, Naruto-kun." Naruto allowed the smallest of smiles to slip onto his features as he caught sight of a certain raven. He walked over to him, and dipped his head in greeting.

"It's been a while since I've seen you all." He stated calmly. Itachi stared at him, and shook his head slowly, the barest hint of remorse in his eyes.

"I wish you didn't have to grow up like this. When you act this way, it only makes me think your childhood was stolen." Naruto shook his head.

"No, Itachi-san. I chose this. Even if the village doesn't want me, I will still give my all to protect it. You of all people should understand how I feel." Itachi stared at him for a moment, before looking away, and not replying. Naruto's smile disappeared, and he continued to walk in.

"How is everyone else?" he questioned. Itachi glanced over to the kitchen.

"Konan-san is trying to see if there's anything she can pull out of the refrigerator for you, Pein-sama is in his quarters going over our missions. Kisame is paying a visit to Kirigakure – I personally doubt that will go well. Sasori and Deidara are in their repective workshops progressing on their art. Zetsu is currently watching for anyone nearing the hideout, Kakuzu has gone bounty hunting, and Hidan is downstairs. I don't recommend going down there – he may be in the middle of a ritual."

Naruto nodded, and inwardly smiled. Even if they didn't want to admit it, they really did operate much like he thought a family would. Excluding all the eccentric behaviour. He had to admit, although he loved Konoha, it was not as much of a home to him as the Akatsuki Hideout.

It had become evident to them that having such a powerful person as an ally was better than obtaining half the power, and have the demon unwilling to let them use it. Although that was their initial response, they soon grew close to the blonde, and he grew close to them as well.

The blonde was about to head for the kitchen, when he caught Itachi's Sharingan activate. Quizzically, he turned to look over at the Uchiha. Itachi stepped up to him, and stared at him. Not quite at him, but at his forehead.

"Ah...Naruto-kun, I do believe you are able to explain this?" he ventured, motioning at the blonde's head. Naruto reached up for the jewel, and his eyes softened as well as temporarily lowered to the ground, although his other features remained the same.

"It is a precious gift from Kurama-sama," he answered. "He told me it is called the Hakaigan." Itachi stepped back, a contemplative expression within his eyes as he allowed his Sharingan to rest – something he did a lot more often nowadays.

"Hakaigan...that is no dojutsu, Naruto-kun." Naruto shook his head.

"It is not. He told me that its uses are for me to discover. I have a feeling he may have given me immense power – I can only hope I use it wisely." The edge around Itachi's eyes softened ever so slightly.

"If Kurama-sama can give it to you without a second thought. He knows you will have the wisdom to use it as it is meant to be use. He has faith in you, Naruto-kun. All you need is faith in yourself." Naruto nodded. Itachi was right – he had trained to become the best that he could be, so why should he doubt himself? When one was a shinobi, doubting oneself was an extremely dangerous thing to do.

"I'm going to pay Deidara a small visit," he announced. "There's something I need from him." Itachi nodded, and made to head out of the hideout. Naruto watched him go before, walking over to a set of stairs by the wall, and beginning his ascent.

He knew he wouldn't be able to put up the obnoxious blonde façade before his friends – that was beyond him. He had tried, but somehow, his training combined with his work with the Akatsuki, had destroyed that personality. He couldn't kill mercilessly with a friendly demeanour. He didn't know how he would be able to explain himself once he reached Konoha.

Walking down the hall, he rapped his knuckles against a door that was immediately adjacent to another one. He heard the yell of, "Wait a moment, un!" and the alarming sound of a crash and a curse or two, before the door clicked open.

It was pulled back, and Naruto blinked as a dust covered Deidara appeared before him. The long-haired blonde didn't seem to be expecting him, and upon sight, grinned in greeting. "Hey, Naruto! Long time no see, un," he greeted, inviting him in.

Naruto stepped into the workshop, which was laden with many an elaborate sculpture. Naruto had often watched Deidara and Sasori's spats about art, and in his opinion, both of them were extremely talented in their respective work.

He eyed a detailed sculpture of an owl that had yet to be painted. Or maybe Deidara would leave it as it was. Whatever the case, he had not seen it before, and it did not look like an easy sculpture to model. Naruto wasn't one for art, but he could admire talent when he saw it.

"You know, you've really grown, un. The last time I saw you, you were at least a foot shorter than me, un," Deidara pointed out, staring at him. Naruto glanced down at himself, and shrugged lightly.

"I suppose I have. I didn't really notice," he replied. Deidara nodded absent-mindedly.

"I take it you came here for what you requested last time? I had plenty of time to work on it because Pein-sama didn't send me on any missions." Naruto nodded, a smile playing on his lips. Deidara caught it, and elbowed him mischievously. "Finally – a smile on mister serious's face. For a moment I was worried we were going to get a blonde Itach- un!" Naruto glanced at Deidara, who was looking intently at him.

"Is there a problem?" he questioned. Deidara shook his head.

"I don't think so, un. I just what to know what that is; you didn't have it the last time I saw you." He pointed, and realization dawned on Naruto. Inwardly, he sighed. He'd have to somehow hide that when he returned to Konoha if he wanted to avoid any questions. His thoughts soured somewhat. But then again, Byakugan would still be able to see it, hidden or not.

"It's a gift from Kurama-sama," he explained once again, leaving it at that. Deidara scrutinized it for a moment before shrugging.

"All right then," he responded. "Whatever it is, I'm sure he gave it to you for a reason, un." Naruto nodded in silent agreement. Kurama had already explained to him why it was being given to him, but the blonde still had a feeling that the demon was still hiding something from him.

Deidara glanced over his shoulder, before disappearing amongst all the clay sculptures. "Wait here, un," he called over to the blonde. Naruto nodded in response, and stood there, knowing better than to move. He didn't want to break any of Deidara's artwork and have to face the sculptor's wrath.

A few moments later, the long-haired blonde reappeared with something in his hands. It was held out to Naruto, who took it, and looked over it. In his hand was a mask that was fashioned to cover his entire face. It was painted purely in black, and contrived to imitate the face of a fox.

The entire creation was elaborate and flawless in the blonde's eyes. But then again, he wasn't that much of an art critic. It could have been nothing to Deidara. But the details that were put into that piece alone amazed him, even though it didn't show very much on his features.

"Amazing," he complimented. "Just like all your other work," he added, looking around the room. Deidara grinned proudly.

"Much better than Sasori-no-Danna's, un," he bragged. Naruto breathed out a huff of amusement.

"Perhaps, but as a fellow artist, you should still respect him, right?" Naruto queried. Deidara raised his eyes imploringly to the roof, before his grin took on a slight smirk.

"I do respect him as a fellow artist, but that doesn't mean his art is better than mine, un," he replied. Naruto didn't like the sound of that. He resolved to leave the hideout before they started another argument. Hopefully it would not branch to a fight. Their fights could be 'artistic' in both style, and language. The latter was only a matter of opinion, though.

Naruto slipped it on to test it for comfort, and to his surprise, found that it was made exactly to his face's proportions, and fit perfectly. Deidara was definitely skilled if he could make something like this without taking direct measurements. Then again, that scope may have had something to do with it.

"Don't worry about taking care of it, un. I infused it with chakra to strengthen it – it's virtually unbreakable, un. If it does break, then you can just take it to me and I'll fix it for you. Is that all right with you, Kitsune-san, un?" Deidara asked teasingly. Naruto gazed at him with mock-seriousness.

"Indeed, Deidara-san. If anything happens to this product of yours, I will bring it directly to you, trusting your expertise." The windblown comment earned him another elbow to his ribs. At least it wasn't a slap. He had, roughly put, freaked out when he first saw those mouths.

He turned, and made to leave, his smile widening somewhat as he turned to face Deidara. With genuine honesty in his eyes, he assured, "I'll take good care of it. If I break it, I'll only be taking away more of your time working on your other projects." Deidara rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Don't worry about that – true art lasts only a moment, doesn't it?" he countered. Naruto shrugged and placed his hand on the doorknob, his smile dissipating to a neutral expression.

"That may be so, but there are moments that can last forever." With that, he opened the door, and exited the room, closing it carefully behind him, and leaving the long-haired blonde staring after him, the vaguest hint of surprise and amusement in their blue depths.

Naruto slipped on the mask, and positioned it at the side of his face so that he didn't have to carry it around. It would be nothing but a burden if he had to carry it all the way back to Konohagakure. He ran his fingers through his hair, and sighed as he continued to walk.

He descended the stairs, only to be caught dead by Konan. She smiled, and grabbed his wrist, pulling him into the kitchen. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, although he did allow the smallest of smiles to appear on his face. Konan could be such a mother at times, although he thought of her as more of a big sister, if he would be honest.

"You haven't visited us in so long, Naruto," she chided good-naturedly. He simply stood there and received his reprimanding. She could scold him as much as she wanted – her voice wasn't annoying to listen to. As a matter of fact, she didn't sound angry at all – just amused.

"My apologies, Konan-san. I've been very busy lately, and I just thought I'd stop by before I head back to Konoha." Konan motioned to the table, and he sat down. He knew it was more of an order than an invite, but he didn't mind. His insatiable thirst for ramen could complete only with Konan's food. She cooked very well. There were some things about Naruto that still remained Naruto no matter what he acted like.

"I got such short notice that you were coming over, so I just whipped up some vegetable tempura and yakitori for you," she listed. "Enjoy!"

He nodded, and reached for one of the sticks of yakitori. She sat down across from him as he began to eat.

"How has your training with Kurama-sama been progressing?" she asked. He swallowed what was in his mouth, and thought for a moment.

"It's what you can call the end of the beginning, I suppose," he answered. "Kurama-sama has told me that he has finished teaching me one on one. I have much more to learn, but he will not be directly teaching me, just guiding me." He took another bite.

"I see..." Naruto could see her eyes trail to his forehead, but he was thankful that she made no question towards his gift. It was becoming a little tiresome to have to repeat an explanation every time someone saw him. Although he would probably have to do so with the Godaime. "Use your power wisely, Naruto. And never forget that you cannot do everything alone."

Naruto nodded at the statement. Even if he may not be able to reveal this to his friends in Konoha, he could still trust that Kurama would help him if he ever needed it. He would trust the Kyuubi with his life. He was sure that Kurama knew that as well.

"I will, Konan-san," he reassured. She shook her head, the gentle smile still on her features.

"And you don't need to be so formal with me. Konan-chan or just Konan is fine," she said, amused. He nodded, a small smile appearing around his eyes.

"All right then, Konan-chan," he agreed. She laughed.

"I assume you got that from Deidara?" she asked, motioning to the mask on the side of his head. "The craftsmanship is exemplary, and I do not know of many other sculptors in the area." Naruto nodded, in answer.

"Yes, I did. I do not intend to enter the village as Uzumaki Naruto and be recognized immediately. I need a private audience with the Godaime Hokage," his eyes glinted as he thought about the events. He knew that his friends, the Rookie 9 and Team Gai did not hold any animosity towards him any more – none of the shinobi did, really – but that didn't mean the townspeople didn't.

"You've grown quite a bit as well, so with your face covered, you should not be all that recognizable," Konan agreed. "Even your voice has changed." Naruto realized that it was true. Long gone was the boisterous and even somewhat high pitched voice he once had. It was now replaced by a more brazen timbre. He hoped that no one would recognize him immediately.

He had only eaten a small portion, but ate no more, as he could not. Another result of his training had been the braving of hunger. He had survived years with only supplementary food before he ran into the Akatsuki which, ironically enough, was just before he returned to Konoha to become a genin. It wasn't too hard, seeing as he had received three years of rigorous training and he was far beyond his age in knowledge and power. But after eating so little for so long, his appetite had diminished considerably.

He stood up, and glanced down at Konan who was still seated. "I will go have a quick talk with Pein-sama before I leave for Konoha," he announced, nodding at her, before he left the room. She stared up at him, before her eyes drifted to the food that had been left behind. There was still quite a bit of it.

"Ah, I just missed the brat." Konan glanced over at Sasori as the redhead walked up to the table, staring at Naruto's retreating back. She shrugged slightly, and motioned to the food.

"Are you hungry?" she questioned. He stared at her for a brief moment before sighing, and making his way up the stairs.

"I'm a puppet. I don't, won't and can't eat," he stated. She blinked, before biting into a piece of tempura. When he wore his cloak, she always forgot that, as she could not see the joints. When he was wearing his cloak, Sasori did look like a real human.

Naruto headed over to the door on the farthest side of the room. Thrice, he knocked on the door in rapid succession. He waited until he was given permission to enter before he did so. Opening the door, he stepped into the room, and closed it behind him.

The room was a medium sized one with more doors that Naruto knew were bedrooms. Six doors to be exact. The room was fairly simple in terms of furnishings, the main chattel being bookshelves to keep records and other things.

There was a desk in the centre of the room, and upon it sat many open scrolls, a pot of ink, and a brush. Naruto waited until Pein lifted his gaze, and spotted him. Naruto could remember the time where he first saw the Rinnegan – much like Deidara's hands, it had unnerved him due to its abnormality when compared to the Sharingan or Byakugan.

"Ah, Naruto-kun." Naruto bowed briefly in greeting, before walking over.

"Pein-sama. I just dropped by for a small visit. I am headed to Konohagakure and most likely will be there for a long while. If there are any concerns..." he drifted off. The orange-haired shinobi shook his head.

"You are a trustworthy person, Naruto-kun. But there is one thing I will have to check into. Here." Naruto easily caught the scroll as it was lobbed over to him, and unrolled it, reading over it. His eyes narrowed slightly.

When he finished reading, his eyes had gone from blue with hints of purple to a vibrant shade of the secondary colour. He frowned. "I should have known that something would be done. But I still cannot allow it. I will go to Konoha as soon as I can."

Pein nodded, and rolled up the scroll, tying it closed with a black and red strip of cloth. He handed it to the blonde, who accepted it. "Give this to Tsunade-sama, but do not tell her who it is from. She will be able to guess, but her reaction is indefinite." Naruto nodded, and slipped his mask onto his face, before bowing.

"I will. I am to leave now, and hopefully make it back by or before sundown. If not, then tomorrow morning." Pein propped his elbows up on the desk, and nodded.

"That sounds reasonable. You may go, but after you explain to me the jewel in your forehead." Behind his mask Naruto frowned, but luckily for him Rinnegan did not grant the user the ability to see through solid surfaces.

"It is a gift given to me by Kurama-sama. He called it the Hakaigan, and told me that its uses are for me to discover. I have yet to know the extent of its ability." Pein nodded, a somewhat interested look in his eyes. He sighed.

"You may go," he stated, and waited for the blonde to leave the room. He then stood up and walked over to one of the shelves, searching through the many scrolls that littered the article of furniture. He frowned in thought. He was sure he had had heard about the Hakaigan somewhere. Or maybe he was wrong...

Naruto exited the room, and walked back through the living room. He paused by the kitchen, and lifted his hand in a wave to Konan, who merely smiled and waved back, before shooing him off. He nodded in assent, and headed out of the hideout.

Once outside, he looked around to make sure no one was watching him. He stretched his arms, and walked a few steps before beginning to run. He jumped into the trees, and leapt from branch to brancnh at a speed that could not possibly be maintained by an ordinary human being.

The leaves rustled and branches whipped after him in his wake as he ran through the forest. He sighed softly, and allowed his gaze to drift upwards. It had been seven years ever since he had been in Konoha. He wondered how much everyone else had changed.

" _Kurama-sama, did you know about this?"_ he questioned in his mind. A soft growl was the immediate response in his head.

 _Kit, I made no attempt to read the future, but it is inevitable. Humans have a habit of interfering in places where they do not belong. I do not put this past them, and as a matter of fact, I'm a little surprised it has not occurred earlier._

Naruto blinked slowly, his face still emotionless. _"Do you think they know about my training?"_

 _I will look into that. They may, but I did not sense them in any way during our eleven years. You did not sense them either. It is impossible for the chakra of anyone to be hidden so well that it is undetectable by me._

" _Kurama-sama, I think you may have to speak with Tsunade-sama as well."_ He could hear a small noise of disapproval.

 _Are you sure about that, kit? The woman is unpredictable._ Naruto rolled his eyes.

" _But she is also a very trustworthy person. I know she will not act out of haste. She trusts me as well, so if I explain to her at first, she will listen."_ Kurama sighed.

 _If you insist, kit. I'll hold you to this one._

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This is probably too much to register in one chapter alone XD Naruto will be extremely out of character for part of this story, by the way. But that's on purpose (yes, I can write him in character, but that defeats the purpose of this entire thing)

Your comments are greatly appreciated. Cookies will be given even if you don't come to the dark side~


	3. Chapter 2

Hello again~ to everyone who followed and faved, once again a huge thank you and a kitsune mask~ You guys are all awesome. Now if only I had Hakaigans to hand out...no, that would be a bad idea.

Introduction to the Hakaigan in this chapter! Problems just have a habit of circulating around Naruto, don't they? What's an Uzumaki to do? Situation (sort of) introduced? Not completely, but sort of.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

DisclaImer: I do not own.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 1: Within Leaves

* * *

It was nearing evening, and Naruto was already well within the Land of Fire. The sun cast shadows upon his black-clad body making him assume the characteristics of a shadow more than he already was.

His feet leapt from branch to branch, never slowing down as he sensed that he was near. His chakra was hidden extremely well to the point of it being undetectable. Now to one, this may not seem like such a large feat, but when one's chakra reserves were enormous, it took a lot of difficult training to be able to hide all of it.

Naruto stared at the village gates through his mask, pausing at the edge of the forest. The village itself looked the same... He wondered what his friends looked like now. He quickly dismissed that thought – that was not what he was after, anyway.

He jumped down from the tree, and began to walk towards the village at a sedate pace. He stepped in, and immediately headed over to the two chuunin who were sitting on the corner, watching who entered the village. He frowned beneath his mask. They should really be more vigilant – what if he was the enemy?

They immediately stood up when they caught sight of him, apprehensive expressions upon their faces. He stared directly at each of them for a few moments, before speaking.

"Take me to the Hokage," he stated quietly. They frowned, and stepped out looking at him. He made no move to run or do anything of the like. "Take me to the Hokage," he repeated, patiently.

"Who are you?" Izumo asked, his eyes narrowing. Naruto turned, and stared at him through the mask.

"Take me to the Hokage," he repeated. "My business is between her and I alone." Kotetsu scowled.

"What are you playing at?" he asked, feeling a little miffed at the stranger's arrogance. Naruto turned his purpled gaze to the raven, and stared at him.

"Who I am does not concern you. If you do not take me to the Hokage, then I will go see her myself." He turned, and made to walk away. Immediately, he found himself flanked by the two chunnin, but not stopped.

He could hear mutters of things that he would rather not hear behind him, and continued to walk forward, before sighing softly and breaking into a run. He didn't like the feel of stares. It was all that judgemental hatred from far back. Even if they didn't recognize him, he still didn't want to be stared at like so.

He ran to the Hokage Tower, and entered it. He dashed up the stairs, until he reached the office. Just as he did, Shizune, exited said office. He bowed politely to her, and she nodded absent-mindedly in his direction, her attention on the documents within her grasp.

He gazed at the ANBU guarding the office, and coughed lightly. He could hear Izumo and Kotetsu gaining on him, but didn't really care. Instead, he just walked before the door, and knocked sharply on it, thrice.

"Tsunade-sama, may I have permission to enter?" he asked. He knew the ANBU would not do anything unless he posed as any threat. Although he probably looked a lot more conspicuous than he would have liked, he tried to be as non-threatening as he could.

"Who is it?" She didn't sound like she was in too good a mood at all. He drew in a breath, and hoped she would remember.

"Kitsune," he replied. There was a pause, and whatever had been going in there, stopped. After a few moments of nothing but silence, he was beginning to wonder what had happened within the office. Luckily, he received his reply not long after.

"Come in then, Kitsune-san." He glanced down the hall, before entering the office just as the two chuunin were about to catch up to him.

He bowed, and stared quietly at the blonde woman sitting behind the desk. She gazed back at him, her eyes narrowing for a moment, before seeming to catch his intent. She glanced around the office. "All of you are dismissed for now. I need to be alone here," she stated. The ANBU bowed, and left the room. For that, Naruto was thankful.

"Now." Naruto took that as a signal. He nodded and walked over to her, pulling out the scroll and handing it over to her.

"Tsunade-sama. This is highly classified. I would love to get around to sharing more about what has happened over the years, but I must ask you to read this first."

She accepted the scroll, and noted the unusual choice of ribbon used to tie it together. She noted that although this must be important information, there was no seal. The briefest of smirks crossed her eyes. She pulled off the ribbon, and unrolled the scroll.

Naruto watched silently as she read, and as he suspected, her eyes narrowed. She quickly rolled up the scroll, and retied it, before handing it back to him. "I'm trusting you with this, as no one else may know of it. I'm sure you will be able to have it for safekeeping."

Naruto nodded, and pocketed the scroll. He glanced back upwards at Tsunade, who propped her elbows atop her desk and intertwined her fingers.

"Now...let me see your face," she stated. Naruto tensed for a moment, but then relaxed, and nodded. He slipped off the cord from the back of his head that held the mask to his face, before lowering the clay object, and looking at Tsunade.

"I'm back, Tsunade-sama."

The blonde woman frowned. It wasn't like the Naruto she knew to act so formal. She had a feeling that something strange was going on beyond the contents of the scroll. He seemed so...different. But his image had matured, and Tsunade knew that his attitude was probably the results of his training as well. Perhaps it would fade off once they grew more comfortable.

She smiled, before standing up, and hugging him tightly. He blinked and his eyes widened in surprise, before she finally let go. He coughed, feeling a little awkward, and lifted her head to stare at her once more.

"You're so..."

"...different?" Naruto finished for her. She didn't respond. He sighed. "Concerning the contents of the scroll..." he drifted off. She frowned.

"I know. To think I thought the Akatsuki was a threat." Naruto frowned, and his eyes lowered to the mask in his hands. He ran a single digit alone the fixtures upon it, his stare growing more dark.

"You cannot judge what you do not know, Tsunade-sama," he stated. He made no mention of who had given him the scroll, but neither did she. He wondered if she knew. Knowing better than to ask, he remained silent.

"Naruto."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama?" She frowned. She was beginning to feel strange under the formality of the blonde. This was not the Naruto that had left the village. That one was bursting with ambition and mischief. This one...

"You never told me who your mentor was. You did say that you were to be trained for a few years – I managed to cover for you – but you did not speak a word of who your sensei was." Naruto sighed.

"That is because the name of my sensei is one that causes great animosity within the village," Naruto stated softly. "Would you like to meet my sensei?" She frowned, and nodded. He bowed.

Summoning an uninhabited shadow clone, he allowed the Kyuubi to possess it, giving it his form and mind. He dipped his head slightly at Tsunade, and she stared. Never had she seen this man before, but the power radiating off him was immense. She dipped her head back in respect, her eyes drifting back to Naruto.

"Tsunade-sama, this is Kurama-sama. The one that is referred to as the Kyuubi no Kitsune," he introduced. Her brown eyes narrowed, and she stood up, her gaze fixating the Kyuubi. Her hands unconsciously clenched into defensive fists.

Kurama on the other hand, stared calmly back at her, his arms crossed over his chest. Naruto stood aside, leaving the rest of this to the two of them. He was not about to offend Kurama by speaking for him. No matter how much leeway the Kyuubi had allowed him to have, Naruto knew that the demon still harboured his pride.

"You..." Kurama nodded in acknowledgement. Her eyes flashed, and she drew back her fist.

"Tsunade-sama, he has done nothing wrong. Lower you hand." Her gaze flew over to Naruto, who was standing there in what seemed to be a calm position. Noting the malevolent purple swirling within his eyes, she lowered her face, her teeth gritted.

"I want an explanation. Now."

Naruto exchanged looks with the redhead, and received the permission he wanted. He stepped up beside the demon, and gazed calmly at the Hokage, the purple in his eyes dimming to its normal hue.

"I met Kurama-sama when I was eight. I fell of the Hokage monument, and would have died if it wasn't for him. That was when I first came to know him. I requested that he teach me so that I could be stronger and protect the village. He agreed to do so, but on the condition that I left the village so I could train in private.

"For three years he trained me, before I returned back to Konoha and attended the Academy amongst other things. After you became Hokage, you know I asked you for leave. He's been training me for eleven years in total, and he is completely trustworthy to the people he can trust.

"Kurama-sama taught me how to create empty shadow clones so that he could possess one of them and teach me one on one, thus why he is currently here right now."

Naruto silenced himself, and glanced over at the Kyuubi, who nodded, at him before turning to the Godaime. She seemed lost for words, and Naruto found it difficult to read the expression on her face. Which was truly saying something, as he could even read Uchiha Itachi's face with ease.

"Naruto has been an excellent student. His power is still not as strong as mine, but perhaps one day he will be able to surpass even I. But I also have news that may been seen as disturbing. I myself do not understand it." She nodded for him to continue.

Kurama frowned, before turning to Naruto. "This is highly confidential for the time being, kit. I will return to you later, but for now I have to ask you to leave." Naruto frowned – he wanted to know what was so important the Kurama had to hide it from him, but he made no complaint. Instead, he turned to leave.

He felt something prod his side, and he turned to see a hitai-ate with the Konoha crest upon it. He nodded in understanding. He tied it around his forehead, hiding the Hakaigan from view, before leaving the room.

Kurama turned to Tsunade, finally letting another emotion slip into his amber eyes. He was feeling a little uncertain about telling her, but it seemed as though she and Naruto were close – almost as close as the Akatsuki were to Naruto.

"I am still trying to form a hypothesis on how this could have happened. I had my suspicions ever since I began to train him. Demon style jutsu are, as you may suspect, unique to demons alone. No human can ever execute them for both lack of chakra, and inborn demon genetics.

"Naruto may have me sealed within him, but that does not give him my genes. His charkra reserves are enormous, even without my added chakra. I decided to test my theory before he returned to Konoha." The Kyuubi paused.

"Tsunade-hime, have you heard of the Hakaigan before?" he questioned. She frowned.

"The only dojutsu I have heard of are the Sharingan, Rinnegan, and Byakugan," she replied. "I can't say I've heard of the Hakaigan." Kurama shook his head.

"The Hakaigan is not dojutsu. When you saw Naruto, do you recall seeing a jewel set in his forehead?" Tsunade nodded.

"As a matter of fact, that was one of the first things I noticed," she answered. "I was going to ask him about it, but I suppose I can ask you about it – it seems as though you have much to tell me." She sat down.

He gazed down at her, and tucked a lock of red hair behind his ear. Finally, he nodded.

"Record this – it is important."

Tsunade immediately pulled an empty scroll out of her desk, and picked up a brush. Normally she would ask Shizune or someone else to do the recording for her, but according to Kurama, this was highly classified. She didn't want unneeded ears listening in on this.

"That jewel is called the Hakaigan. I too posses a Hakaigan," he stated, motioning to his own forehead. "The Hakaigan is a powerful talisman passed down the royal bloodline. It has a few qualities adhered to it, and this is where I cannot explain." Kurama uncrossed his arms and allowed the to hand at his side, his pupils narrowing.

"It's first characteristic, is that it chooses its bearer," he stated. "This saves quite a lot of time for the demons to appoint their next heir to the throne." He paused. "It grants its bearer immense power that comes in many different forms. It normally differs with any of its bearers." He fell silent.

Tsunade continued to write, curious to hear more of this strange amulet. She was surprised that it had not been recorded anywhere in the library archives or even the hidden archives. When he stopped, she dipped her brush in ink once more. "Is that all?" she questioned. He shook his head.

"Another characteristic, is that it is only compatible with demons," he stated. "If it chooses to be planted within another being, whether human, animal, or any other creature, they will, without a doubt, die."

Tsunade's hand ceased in its movement, and she raised her gaze to look up at him, a frown in emblazoned onto her features. "Wait...but-" She was cut off by a raised hand.

"I know. But it is the last characteristic that unsettles me the most." Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"Hold on to that thought for a moment, Kurama-sama. Are you trying to tell me that you implanted the Hakaigan into Naruto knowing full well that he could die if your theory was incorrect?" Kurama held up a commanding hand, his pupils narrowed.

"I can understand if what I am doing is a chance worth taking or not. Never would I purposely hurt my kit. You see, all demons are born with natural clairvoyance, some more potent than others. I do not want my decisions to be judged by one who does not understand me." He came to an abrupt stop.

Kurama ventured on. "Anyway, another characteristic of the Hakaigan is it is compatible only with those of the royal bloodline. Which means if it is placed on another demon out of the bloodline, that demon will, without question, die."

Tsunade's brush dropped out of her hand, her eyes wide. Ink from the brush splattered over her desk, somehow managing to not hit the scroll on which she had been writing upon. She shook her head, shock in her eyes.

"That's...that's impossible!" she whispered. He frowned.

"I know. My mate and my kits are all dead. It is virtually impossible for Naruto to bear the Hakaigan, but he is. I do not understand the situation, and cannot come to any hypothesis either," he admitted to her. She shook her head.

"I will study into this, but I can assure you that no harm will come to him." A small smirk crawled onto his lips. "He will be able to protect himself if anyone does try to attempt anything – that I'm sure of." Kurama nodded.

"I will watch him as well. Never has there ever been an exception to the characteristics of the Hakaigan, so this is a large abnormality. If he truly does not fit all the characteristics needed, this could be a dangerous matter." Tsunade sighed, and picked up the brush, beginning to write once again.

"Indeed. It seems that more trouble than I accounted for has been hanging over Konoha." She smiled slightly. "Who knows – Naruto may have come just when Konoha needed him the most." Kurama's lips twitched upwards slightly.

"That was exactly what he wanted," he responded. "To protect Konoha with his life. The loyalty he has could be staggering to another." Tsunade nodded.

"It is much like two others I used to know..." she murmured wistfully, before her eyes grew serious. "But Kurama-sama, I must ask something of you." He nodded for her to go on. "Has Naruto gone through training so strenous that he has come back to Konoha as a shell of what he once was?" Kurama frowned, and averted his eyes from her.

"He is willing to give everything due to his great love for Konoha. Even if that meant the destruction of his own character. I do not know how this managed to happen to him, but he is somehow able to bear it. I do not know when this had happened, or why exactly," he replied calmly. Her hand clenched into a fist and she stared down at the records she had taken of the Hakaigan.

"There is something about this Naruto...it feels like he has lost something. I don't know why, but with it missing, this doesn't seem like Naruto at all." Kurama bowed his head.

"Many would say the same. I cannot control the emotions of a human, neither can I revert him back to his old self. Only he knows why he is like this, and only he can return to the Naruto that you all are familiar with. All I can do is guide him." Tsunade nodded slowly, and sighed, sitting up, a frown on her face.

"I trust you will keep a close watch on Naruto. I will tell no one else of this without your permission, and you may tell Naruto if you see fit. With the fate that apparently is to befall Konoha, this may not be as much of a coincidence as we may think."

Kurama nodded in agreement with her statement. "It is clear that Konoha is in need, and Naruto will stay whether I want him to or not, which is a little unfortunate. I would have taken this chance to head back to the demon realm and search the archives for any information, but I only have a certain distance that I am permitted to be away from him."

The Hokage crossed her arms over her desk, and nodded in understanding. "I see. That is rather unfortunate, but I suppose there is not much we can do about it." She frowned as she recalled something. "Ah yes, Kurama-sama, there is another things I must ask of you," she continued. "That scroll that Naruto showed to me."

"What of it?"

"Did you know about the existence of this project?" Kurama gazed at her, his expression unreadable, before sighing and shrugging slightly.

"Perhaps not this exact one, but I do recall that there use to be many groups with a same or similar goal, the Akatsuki being one of them. However, this particular group who goes by the name 'Seiatsu' is the first to take this approach." Kurama turned his back to her, and walked towards one of the windows, staring out at the village that his vessel wanted so badly to protect. He growled lightly. "Humans are always meddling in business that should be left alone," he accused, talking more to himself.

Tsunade couldn't help but agree with him on this one. But she also could help but think that, were it not for Kurama within Naruto, his conviction to protecting the village may not have been as strong as it was now. She smiled slightly at the thought.

"Tsunade-hime." He turned his head to fixate her with amber eyes. She glanced up at him. "I expect any and all information of the Hakaigan to be kept between you and I alone. This information is extremely dangerous, and if anyone gets their hands on it, they may try to take it from Naruto." He paused, and a slow smirk spread over his face. "There is an immense amount of power behind it. If all that power is released at once, that will undoubtedly mark the end of the world."

She gazed at the scroll before nodding, and rolling it up. Tying it closed, she performed a seal upon it, and left it on her desk. He eyes the scroll, slight approval in his eyes, before performing a few hand seals, and laying his hand on the scroll. Yellow chakra chains left his hand and wrapped around the scroll, making it an unbreakable seal.

"There. The chains will respond to only people that have permission to read the scroll's contents. It takes the regular seals to unseal the scroll, then a normal fuinjutsu to seal it once again for convenience," he stated. "I would normally make it more complex, but there is no time for you to learn it," he stated. "It makes things far easier." She nodded.

"Understood, Kurama-sama. It is probably high time you return to Naruto, is it not?" she ventured. He chuckled under his breath, no real humour beneath the sound as he nodded in agreement.

"It probably is. I will leave now. If you have any questions, just ask Naruto for me," he stated. Without waiting for her to reply, he exited out the window, as he did not want to be noticed by too many people, which was inevitable if he descended the tower by the stairs.

His eyes scanned the village as he recalled the time where he had his freedom to roam before being sealed into the Uzumaki. He frowned, and began to follow the blonde's chakra in order to locate him. He assumed that the blonde would most likely be with his old friends.

He walked through the village, trying to keep as inconspicuous as he could. Thankfully, he wasn't doing too bad of a job. His amber gaze swept over the passerby disinterestedly. These were the people that had reviled his vessel, he had no interest in them.

He knew that Naruto was an immensely kind person if he was able to forgive all these people for all they had done. The blonde had almost died by their hands many times over, and yet, he bore no ill will towards these people. In fact, he wanted to protect them.

Kurama really did have to give the boy more credit. Naruto may have taken many lives over the eleven years of training, but he was somehow able to remain as pure as the day Kurama had been sealed into his infant body. Never had the Kyuubi ever encountered anyone who was able to maintain their purity for so long.

The demon lord walked along until he spotted Naruto surrounded by a group of familiar people. He recognized them all to be the blonde's friends, but they looked a lot older. They were still recognizable, though.

His eyes met with the Uzumaki's and Naruto broke away to walk over to him. For a few moments, they stared silently at each other, conversing through their thoughts.

" _You are done speaking with Tsunade-sama?"_ Naruto asked. Kurama nodded.

 _Yes. I had some important things to tell her, and she may request my presence again. If that happens to be the case, then I will speak with her myself._ Naruto nodded in agreement with the statement.

" _Do you wish to stay like this for longer?"_ The demon lord shook his head in reply.

 _I strongly doubt I would look normal in a scene like this, kit. With the Akatsuki, maybe, but not here._

" _All right then."_ Naruto clapped his hands together, and Kurama returned back into his mind. He nodded slightly to himself, before turning and walking back to his friends.

He had already undergone their interrogation and surprised remarks on where he had been and how he had changed. He only replied with what was necessary, but gave not much room for idle chatter.

His mask had been removed, and hung against his hip from his belt where his other weapons such as senbon and kunai were strapped.

His hitai-ate was still against his forehead, covering the Hakaigan. Silently, he was relieved that no one had noticed it, especially since Hinata and Neji were there. Perhaps they were distracted – one of them was bound to notice the power radiating from it sooner or later.

Raising his hand to touch the metal plate on his hitai-ate, he stared at his friends, who looked like they had just gained more questions to ask him. He walked up to them, and stood there, wondering if Shikamaru had fit the puzzle pieces together yet.

He had learned a long time ago not to underestimate the mind of the Nara. Although he was pretty intelligent himself, he knew he was still far out of Shikamaru's league. The calculating expression in the Nara's eyes either didn't let him raise his hopes either.

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So~ why is Naruto compatible with the oh-so-powerful Hakaigan when he is perfectly human? All right, it's not actually all-powerful. Every jutsu has a weakness, and this is no exception. But I'm not saying what the weaknesses are yet. I'll leave that for someone else to figure out~ :P

Reviews are not mandatory, but are greatly appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 3

Hello once again~ And one more time, to everyone who followed, faved, and reviewed, thank you from the bottom of Itachi's heart :D

Naruto is trying not to draw attention to himself, but after he's been gone for seven years, he's bound to have the attention of all his friends.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I own the plot. Not Naruto.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 3: What I Once Knew

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"Naruto, who was that?"

Naruto turned to face his pink-haired team-mate. His eyes betrayed nothing at the question, and he could see that his stare was setting her slightly at unease. He averted his eyes, and tried to think of a decent answer. After all, she most likely would not relent until she received the answer she wanted.

"That is a friend of mine," he replied. "Someone who I've known for a long time."

When he met her eyes once more, he could see the clear skepticism within them. A dry look entered his eyes. That's right – they probably thought they were the first friends he'd ever had. Technically, they were, but he'd still known Kurama for much longer. The same went for the demon lord, but he'd known Naruto before the blonde had known him.

"How come you didn't introduce us?" a certain dog-boy demanded. Naruto's gaze slid over to him, and he silenced. The blonde wondered if his presence came as somewhat of a shock to his friends. They were acting as though they'd just met him.

"There is no need. He already knows all of you by name, looks, and chakra signature," Naruto answered, but did not bother elaborating. It was obvious that no one dared ask either, but he didn't mind.

There was obviously an uncomfortable silence that had settled between all of them, but the Uzumaki didn't seem to notice. If he did, he didn't seem to care. The truth was, Naruto much preferred the silence. It gave his mind room to think.

He scanned the scene before him, before turning about face. "I'm headed back for my apartment for a little while before I go to the academy," he stated. It had been a long time since he'd seen Iruka, and he thought that after evading for so long, he probably should pay the teacher a visit.

A tiny smile curved onto his lips at the thought, but soon disappeared as he began to walk away. He would prefer to not be stared at like that by so many people. After all, being an assassin was one of his trades, and that involved a lot of keeping out of sight.

He mused on Kurama's words to him, and came to the conclusion that it must be about him. Perhaps the demon wanted to tell Tsunade more about his training. But then again, that would not require his leave, would it? It was not confidential to the point that he himself should not be present when it was spoken of.

He didn't want to bother the Kyuubi with his questions, so he saved them for later when he felt more like asking. Even demons needed their sleep – Shukaku was probably an exception, though. Naruto stretched his arms out.

He allowed his feet to take him down the path that they had memorized from a long time back as his mind continued to wander. He normally wouldn't be so absent-minded, but there was not as much of a threat within Konoha as there was in open land.

Unconsciously, his hand drifted up to his hitai-ate once more. He wondered what on earth would have caused Kurama to give him such a precious gift. He had right to call it precious, as he had never before heard of it, meaning that it was extremely rare.

He was beginning to wonder if the skills of his friends had grown dull while he was gone – the power pulsating from the jewel was something he needed to get used to. As a matter of fact, he could feel a headache coming on.

With a tired sigh, he leapt up to his apartment condo and opened the door. Closing it behind him, he automatically reached for the light switch, and flipped it. The lights flickered on, illuminating the small complex.

He gazed around, before his eyes lowered to the ground. It was so...empty. He hadn't been within his abode for so long, that it almost seemed strange to finally stand in it once more. He gazed around, before heading directly to the bedroom. Once inside, he laid down and stared up at the roof.

Seven years...it had been seven years ever since he had been to Konoha. Everything was just as he remembered from when he had been eleven. Everything apart from the people, of course. His friends had all honed their skills and become shinobi to be reckoned with. Naruto couldn't help but feel happy for them.

He lifted his hand, and stared idly at it. Although it had been injured many times over, there were yet to be scars. Kurama had always made a good job of healing him. He wished there was just some way he could thank the demon fox for that.

He sat up, and stared out of the window beside his bed. A trio of sparrows flew past him, the wind created from their wings blowing lightly against his blonde locks. He stared out at the Hokage tower, and could not help but allow a small smile to slip into his eyes.

Eleven years ago, a young child had hurtled down from the monument, and almost died. Eleven years ago, that child encountered a person that would forever change his life. Naruto sighed nostalgically as he recalled the day he had first met Kurama.

His eyes drifted down to the streets below, and he frowned. He could see his friends headed in the direction of the apartment. Not that he didn't appreciate their company, he simply didn't want to have to deal with more questions at the moment.

He stood up and balanced himself on the windowsill, before jumping up onto the roof. Glancing down, he caught sight of them. After a moment's hesitation, he leapt onto the next roof, and then the one after that.

In barely any time at all, he reached the place he was headed for. School was long since over and the sun was already setting, but Naruto spotted a certain chuunin just exiting the doors of the Academy. He jumped down from the roof.

Slowly, he began to walk towards the academy teacher. Said teacher caught sight of him, and a smile as well as a surprised look appeared upon his features. Naruto walked up to him, a bare smile crawling onto his lips.

"Iruka-sensei," he greeted. The chuunin looked him up and down, a smile on his face, before pulling the blonde into a hug. Naruto let him do so and, after another moment's hesitation, returned the friendly embrace.

"It's been so long since I've last seen you, Naruto! The least you could have done was keep in touch," Iruka scolded fondly, before releasing him. Naruto shrugged slightly. Iruka laughed, and began to walk away from the Academy, pulling the blonde along with him.

"You've grown – you're almost as tall as I am." Naruto made no comment at this. Iruka chuckled. "You've lost the loud garb too. I thought the day would never come," he joked. Naruto walked alongside him.

"Black is much more convenient," he stated.

"I suppose so," Iruka replied. He glanced over at the Uzumaki. "What do you say I take you out for ramen?" he offered. At the mention of food, Naruto bit his lip. He still loved his ramen, but he had already eaten, and that was all he needed for the day. Any more, and he would not be able to keep it within his system.

"Ah...no thank you, Iruka-sensei. I've already eaten – I'm not hungry," he answered, declining politely. He really didn't even feel like upholding an act. His friends had seen part of him already, it wouldn't be fair to keep it from Iruka.

As expected, the chuunin slowed to a halt, and turned to face him. The shock was a little more than obvious. Soon, it was replaced by another smile. "Who are you, and what have you done with Naruto?" he joked. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I'm still me, Iruka-sensei, but that doesn't mean I haven't changed." Iruka nodded slowly, and continued to walk. Naruto walked alongside him in silence until the older of the two spoke once again.

"What were you doing for so long?" Iruka questioned. "Tsunade told me that you were off on a long-term mission, but never have I heard of a genin being sent on a long term mission that lasted so long. All your friends are chuunin now, you know? Except Neji – he's a jounin now." Naruto nodded slowly.

"I have been in the Land of Rivers," he stated, but refused to be more detailed in terms of description. "As for my friends, it's good to hear that they've made such good progress," he stated.

He could tell Iruka was surprised by his response. He had expected that. After all, when he had left the village after Tsunade had taken the title of Godaime Hokage, he had still been yelling out that he would be Hokage one day. He shook his head slightly as he reminisced his antics back then.

"I'm happy you feel that way for them," Iruka continued. "Also, do you remember that boy from Suna?" Naruto nodded.

"I know. Gaara is the Kazekage." Naruto had passed by Sunagakure and had seen the entire event. He had felt his heart swell when he saw the change that had come about his friend. He was glad that Gaara was able to gain this sort of trust by the people that had once feared him.

He did, however, have a few choice words for the Akatsuki when they took hold of the Ichibi. Which was all well and good, as Pein decided the Godaime Kazekage had a life that he would live out for the best, and brought him to life.

Naruto honestly couldn't remember the last time he had been so angry with the group of missing-nin. He knew they probably had never seen him so angry either. It had taken him a long while to forgive the two artists, but he had done it eventually.

Pein had, prior to that, told him that they would stop in their quest for the bijuu after incessant arguing, but Naruto knew they were still searching for them. Perhaps they would not go as far as extraction, but still. He had been foolish to not do anything about it.

"...ah." Naruto didn't even have to look at the chuunin to know that he was surprised. Many people had been – Naruto couldn't bring himself to even hope for anything else. Not that he minded. Naruto's lips curved into a dry smile.

"Being out of the village means being around shinobi that are not from Konoha. It's surprising what sort of news gets passed by word of mouth," he explained. Iruka could do nothing but nod dumbly. Naruto had changed more than he had thought.

They quietly walked along the sidewalk, enjoying each other's silent company. Naruto had forgotten how much he had missed the chuunin, who had been the first to acknowledge him for who he was, and care for him when he was younger.

He winced as a throbbing pain shot through his head. He reached up, and clasped at it with one hand. Frowning, he bit his lip to prevent any sounds of pain to exit his throat. This only resulted in a bleeding lip. Iruka gazed worriedly at him. He caught it, and shook his head.

"It's fine. Just a headache," he dismissed. He continued to walk, not wanting anyone to press the conversation further. He'd have to have a conversation about it with Kurama – the demon lord was sure to know what was going on. Especially since it seemed to have something to do with the Hakaigan, and the Kyuubi had only given it to him that morning.

"I probably should be off now – I have business to attend to," Naruto muttered softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, all right, Iruka-sensei?" he asked, glancing over at the chuunin. The brunet could do nothing but nod in reply, and as soon as the response was given, the blonde nodded abruptly and walked off leaving him staring at the Uzumaki's back.

"Naruto...!" He sighed, and shook his head, smiling slightly. That boy would never cease to amaze him. He could think and watch and plan and every single day, the blonde would always do something that exceeded his range of thought.

Naruto walked back to his apartment at his own pace, and jumped in through the window as he did not want to bother with the locked door. He sat down on the bed, his legs crossed, and closed his eyes, hoping that would soothe the pain in his head.

" _Kurama-sama, what is this?"_ he asked. No reply came. He sighed, and opened his eyes. He winced, and rubbed at his head. He untied his hitai-ate, and shook his head slightly. He blinked, and stared at the hitai-ate sitting in his hand.

The metal plate bearing Konoha's symbol had a hole melted directly through it. He stared at the hitae-ate, before setting it upon the windowsill and raising his hand once more to his Hakaigan. His headache was gone. His frown deepened.

" _Kurama-sama!"_ He heard a sigh within his mind.

 _Yes, kit?_

" _What happened?"_ he asked simply. The demon lord should know exactly what he was talking about. There was not much option left for him when he did not inhabit the kage bunshin.

 _I seem to have made a miscalculation. You cannot attempt to contain, or in this case hide, the power of the Hakaigan. I never suffered the effects, for I have never covered it._

Naruto could not help but think that there was still something being hidden from him. He didn't question it however, but he could feel unease resting within his gut, and even his mind seemed a little more alert than normal.

He hissed softly in annoyance, and laid back down on the bed, resting his head atop his arms. The red within in his eyes created whorls of purple within their depths, his restlessness obvious to those who knew what to look for.

He could would not exit the village unless given permission or orders to do so, or unless Kurama commanded that he leave. There were some people whose orders overruled those of even the Hokage herself.

He knew that rash actions were uncalled for and, although he was itching to see what uses he could make of the chakra within the talisman in his forehead, he knew that he should probably wait. He had learned the value of patience a long time ago, and he knew perfectly well when to put it to good use.

The sky darkened rapidly, and Naruto leaned out of his window. He stared out at the village which was, house by house, going to sleep. He stared quietly, watching until the last of the lights on the street flickered on.

Unlacing the mask from his belt, he gazed at it for a long while, tracing his finger along its indentations, before setting it upon the sill beside his burnt hitai-ate. He then pulled the scroll out of one of his pockets.

He opened it, and read over its contents once more. He had never heard of the Seiatsu before. But then again, that only made them all the more dangerous. He didn't know the extent of what they had done – only their approach. He had to have a more serious talk with Pein regarding the matter.

His hands rolled up the scroll tightly, before he placed a signature seal upon it. Being from the Uzumaki lineage, his seals were near flawless although he would admit to needing more practice. Still, the seal would be difficult enough for scarce anyone to break. He covered the object with an illusory technique for good measure, and left it beside his mask.

Standing up, he walked through the complex until he reached the door. Opening it, he stepped outside, and closed it behind him. He jumped down to the vacant path below, and began to walk through the fairly quiet village.

His steps were trained to be soundless – the footsteps of a spy and an assassin. Although he would admit to being skilled in the areas where stealth was a necessity, he would still claim that his prime was as a melee fighter.

He had learned to balance out all that he had learned into something of a formidable shinobi. Speaking of which, there was one person he had failed to visit, wasn't there? Ah well...he'd just have to go see him tomorrow.

Naruto's steps led him automatically to the gates of the village, and he stared out into the forest. He wanted to run back in and return as freely as he could, but at the moment, he decided his place was in the village. He had already promised himself not to run off for now. Maybe later after this entire thing had been sorted out.

He turned his back to the forest, and began to walk away. There were some things that just had to wait. His feet led him as he gazed around at the slumbering village, his eyes emotionless. This village was always at the pinnacle of trouble, wasn't it?

Before he knew it, he was at the foot of the Hokage monument. His lips curved into a wry smirk of sorts. This definitely brought back memories. Whether those memories were good or bad, he had yet to decide. Perhaps they were a mix of both.

He sprang onto the Yondaime's head with a chakra infused jump, and rested there as he did when he was nothing but a small child. He allowed his posture to relax, and his eyes drifted downwards to the village.

"I assumed you would be here."

Naruto recognized that voice. He gazed downwards and spotted the tiny figure at the foot of the monument. He sighed. Wonderful. He'd been discovered, hadn't he? Now if only he wasn't so conspicuous when he had returned.

It took a few jumps for the figure to reach where he sat. He kept his gaze fixed down, and didn't bother to look at the person who had just arrived. Said person stood behind him, and stared out at the village. He sighed.

"Look, Neji. I know you have questions. Save me the trouble, and ask them now." He knew that no questions referring to his well hidden chakra was too good to be true. With those eyes, it was doubtless the Hyuuga could see just how much his body contained.

He knew that he didn't have to look back to see the Hyuuga's reaction to his response, his tone, and basically everything else in between. If it was anything like he had seen from the brunet before, then it would be bare hints of surprise within otherwise unemotional eyes and a frown.

"If you insist." Naruto rolled his eyes. "First of all, what were you actually doing for the past seven years?" Naruto shook his head slowly.

"I am not yet permitted to tell," he stated. He could practically feel the frown on the jounin's face.

"What brought about the uncharacteristic changes?" Naruto let out a cynical bark of laughter.

"I won't answer that directly, Neji, but allow me to say this. I've probably killed more people in the last month than you have the past year." He knew that was an unsatisfactory answer, but it still allowed Neji to grasp a gist of what he was attempting to imply.

"You seemed not to care when your friends told you that they were all chuunin. Your ambition used to be the greatest of us all. What became of that?"

"My ambition still remains, and it is stronger than ever. It just may not be the ambition you are referring to. Also, there is more to a shinobi than simply rank. You cannot judge completely based merely on rank."

There was silence for a few moments, and Naruto knew that his reply had sent Neji thinking. Oh sure, he may have been acting a little different than he used to, but he had always wanted and always would protect the village. That was the ambition he had before he even fabricated the one about being Hokage. And that ambition was still there, Hokage or not.

"I know of the Kyuubi-"

"Kurama-sama," Naruto corrected, a little more sharply than he had intended. He could feel the slight surprise from the Hyuuga, but he currently couldn't care less.

"Kurama-sama," Neji restated. "And I do know about the chakra that he can give you, but what I can see now makes no sense." Naruto drew in a breath. The complicated explanations. He stood up, and turned around to face an activated Byakugan.

Said Byakugan widened as he turned, and Naruto blinked as the jounin's eyes snapped shut and he turned away, the pronounced veins on his face softening and retracting to where they were. Naruto frowned in slight confusion.

"That power..." Naruto stared at him, and he turned to face the blonde, Byakugan deactivated. "I could look at you earlier...why does this happen now?" Naruto tilted his head to one side slightly.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. Neji's frown deepened.

"I don't know how you did it, but the power within...whatever that is, managed to force my Byakugan into submission," he stated monotonously. "So that's what you were hiding earlier. I could see an enormous reserve of chakra within something in your forehead, but all I saw was your hitai-ate." Naruto nodded slowly.

"I see..." He turned his back to the Hyuuga and stared at him over his shoulder. "I hope you can pardon me this, but I'm afraid that was not for your eyes to see. I must ask you to keep this to yourself. Only Hokage-sama and I as well as one other was supposed to know about this. It is highly classified, and perhaps even dangerous. So, in light of this information, I have to tell you that I am not at liberty to answer your last question. I apologize."

He jumped down to the ground, and left the brunet staring at his retreating figure from between two spikes of the Yondaime's hair. He silently cursed himself. No one was supposed to know about that except him, Kurama, Tsunade, and the Akatsuki.

Well, he supposed allowing the Akatsuki to know was optional, but he trusted them, and they had proved themselves over time and time again. What more proof did he need? The last thing he wanted was for any of them to die for him.

He broke into a run, and in no time at all reached his apartment. Slowing to a stop, he entered the complex. Pulling off his shoes, he set them to one side, before heading to the kitchen. He paused, and walked over to the table.

He picked up a scrap of paper that had been left on the table, and stared at it. He brushed his thumb over the dried ink that had settled into that note. Sitting down, he continued to stare at it, as if he had nothing more important to do.

 _Dear Naruto,  
Although I do not approve of this, I suppose there are times when you need to get away. I understand. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to write to me your destination. Although I will not send anyone after you, it leaves me at ease to know that at least you have a destination in mind. I know you have your own reasons for leaving, and it is not by the villagers – if that was so, you would have left long ago. I do, however, hope you will return. If you return, I will want to see you immediately._

Although unsigned, it was obvious who had left the letter. Naruto's eyes were dry as he folded it up, and walked into the room. He knelt down on his bed, and slipped the note underneath the ruined metal plate of his hitai-ate.

He stared at it for a small while, before lying down on his bed, curled up into the fetal position, his window still open and the wind blowing incomprehensible words into his ears. He closed his eyes. It took him a while before he fell into a light sleep.

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I've got nothing to say other than please review~ If you don't want cookies, then we can convert to cheesecake :)


	5. Chapter 4

Hello once again to all, and once again, thank you so much for all the faves follows and reviews~ They're all very veryveryvery appreciated :) I'm pretty sure that I kinda confused some people with the note thing in the last chapter. I'm sooo sorry about that. In response, the note is actually from the Sandaime. Naruto just never threw it away or did anything about it until then~ hope that solves some problems - it isn't really a huge thing in the actual story, just something added for I have no idea what reason. I thought I'd take some time to reply to some review here. So let's begin.

thor94: thanks for the compliment! I personally think Kurama wouldn't say anything to someone who has not matured enough if he does not have an explanation to back it up, thus not telling Naruto~

Mysticflame21: Thank you so much! You have no idea how much confidence that gives me! I'll be more than happy to give you cheesecake ;) As for the updates, I'm like Sasori in the way I don't like to keep people waiting. I thought I'd take advantage of break before classes start again anyway.

bicklepie: Cookies don't have to be the only thing to be handed out ;)

denis.d2505: Thank you for the criticism! I mean it. After I killed myself over it, I was fine, and I appreciate it. I'm sorry if the gap frustrated you, and I'll try to amend it as soon as possible. Hopefully I won't make the same mistake in any other fics I write :) I really do appreciate it~

Xendrax: And I approve that review :P Thanks to the moon and back for the compliment! (if the moon isn't far enough, we could take you to Jupiter~)

Anyway, Naruto's skills are assessed yet again with a friendly fight that turns out to be far shorter than expected for everyone. Is that style new or ancient? Jiraiya seems to know. (PS I'm terrible at fight scenes, but I cut it short on purpose. More apologies if it's as bad as I think it is) Akatsuki dispatched! Naruto's partner is...?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 4: To Test

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As golden sunlight broke through the trees and bathed Konoha in a warm light, blue eyes with hints of purple opened themselves to the world. A soft yawn was heard in the silent morning air as Naruto stretched out a kink in his back.

He blinked down at his attire. He had forgotten to change out of his black daytime attire. With a roll of his eyes, he stood up, and headed over to his closet. He slid the door away, and stared at his wardrobe before flinching.

There was all that orange again. He pushed it all to the side, and delved deeper into his closet. Sighing in satisfaction, he pulled out another black outfit, very similar to the one he was wearing. He quickly slipped it on, and tied his belt around his waist, as well as additional straps for weapons around his arms and legs.

He headed over to the bathroom, and quickly washed up, before staring at his reflection in the mirror. Perhaps there was some other way to conceal that...he frowned. Other than the mask. He frowned, and shook his head to himself, before walking out of the bathroom.

Slipping his weapons into their places, he headed to the kitchen, and pulled a ramen cup out of the pantry. Of course, that was basically the only thing within it, but he wasn't going to complain. It was edible, and that was all he needed.

Boiling some hot water, he stared out the window. He wondered if Neji had decided to hold him to the promise of not telling anyone. He knew the Hyuuga probably wouldn't tell anyone. He knew what was worth keeping to oneself and what wasn't. Or at least, that was Naruto's judgement of the brunet.

He made himself his breakfast, and waited for it to set, sitting down and rapping his fingertips idly against the tabletop, his chin resting atop a propped elbow. He couldn't help but think about how...uninteresting domestic life was. Oh sure, there were all the missions that the shinobi would be sent on, but when they weren't, there wasn't much of anything to do.

When he had been travelling around, or even when he had just been in the land of rivers or Amegakure, things had been a lot more interesting. He was like a mercenary for the past seven years, and that was how he earned his living. It had also been a good assessment for his skills according to Kurama.

He pulled a fork out of a nearby drawer, and began to eat. Although he didn't eat as fast as he normally did, he was soon finished, and the empty cup was discarded in the trash bin. He stood up, and made his way over to the door.

Slipping on his shoes, he stood up straight and opened the door before stepping out and jumping down onto the street. He hummed softly to himself as he began to walk. He stopped and frowned. Tsunade had made no mention of who may have sent that scroll. Did she even know?

Pein had assumed that she would be able to see who was the one behind that, but she hadn't even spared the ribbon a second glance after pulling it off. He frowned. Maybe he should have another talk with her.

Then again, he also had a lot of explaining on his part. He did tell her that they would have time to catch up, didn't he? Naruto nodded to himself, and broke into a lazy run in the direction of the Hokage tower. Hopefully she wouldn't be asleep.

Taking the long way up, he walked past the many shinobi, ignoring them and their stares. He was masking his chakra as he had been taught – they shouldn't be able to sense a thing. Unless they were skilled sensory types.

He walked towards the office, passing the ANBU guards even without permission. Upon entrance, he caught sight of her, awake, and looking more occupied with her thoughts than he had even seen her before.

When she heard the sound of footsteps, she looked up, and caught sight of him. She nodded slowly. "Ah. Just the person I want to speak to." Naruto walked up to the desk, and gazed at her, question within his eyes.

She dismissed the hidden guards with a wave of her hand, before turning her brown gaze back to him. She cracked her knuckles, but Naruto had a feeling that it wasn't because she was angry. He waited for her to speak.

"All right. I want an overview of what happened over the past seven years," she stated. He frowned for a moment, before nodding.

"For the past seven years, I have been training under the watch of Kurama-sama. Only yesterday did I receive the break so that I could return to Konoha. I have been a mercenary as well, and that enabled me to grow roundabout in all the chakra natures. Kurama taught me how to control and combine in ways that would enhance the power within my techniques. He even helped me create my own. I lived off my pay for those years," he stated.

He knew that she would sense the fact that he had not told her everything, but he could not tell her about the Akatsuki and put them at risk. That would be one of the worst things he could do, seeing as if she disapproved, he would have to choose between them or Konoha, which was the last thing he wanted to do.

She was silent for a few moments, leaving him feeling a little at unease. He could tell she was thinking through the entire explanation, but he did not know how she would react. Finally, she nodded, and questioned no further.

"I wish to see your skills," she told him. He nodded. She smirked. "I will set you to fight a certain shinobi. My only rule for this, is that no major bloodshed is allowed, and no killing is permitted either. We'll see how far you've come," she stated. Naruto nodded.

"Understood, Tsunade-sama. My only question is-"

"Maa...sorry I'm late, Hokage-sama-" Tsunade held up a hand, silencing any further excuse that the scarecrow would immediately fabricate. Everyone knew that Kakashi was a terrible liar. Naruto blinked slowly, slight surprise within his eyes as he stared at his former sensei. Tsunade wanted him to fight Kakashi?

"Not at all, Kakashi-san. In fact, you are just on time." She smirked. He stared at her for a moment, before his one visible eye drifted to the only other person in the room and widened.

"...Minato-sensei?"

Naruto's lips curved up in dry amusement, and Tsunade laughed. Kakashi on the other hand, stared at the Uzumaki in disbelief, his finger hanging in the air. The last time Naruto had seen that look on his face was the time he had threatened to rip his ex-sensei's Icha Icha novel in half when he was younger. It never ceased to amuse him.

"You don't recognize me, Kakashi-sensei? I'm wounded," he remarked wryly. Kakahi's finger lowered, and Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, and met the onyx eye that was staring at him with his own purplish gaze.

"Naruto?" The blonde uncrossed his arms, and allowed them to hang comfortably at his sides as his sile disappeared. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, before opening them, and fixating them intensely on the jounin.

"You finally remember me. That's nice to hear."

His voice sent a slight chill of foreboding crawling down both Kakashi's and Tsunade's backs. Never had either of them heard such a tone from the blonde before, not even when he was in a fit of righteous anger like he had been in so many occasions before he left.

"Ah...it's been so long. You look a lot like Minato-sensei, you know," Kakashi finally responded. "You've really grown." Naruto's gaze dropped to the floor, for a moment, and his eyes scanned the wooden planks before rising up once more.

"So I've been told," he replied calmly.

"What happened to all the orange?" the silver-haired shinobi tried once more.

"I'd rather not have my identity evident when it is necessary to kill," he replied with ease, not even seeming to think twice about his words. He didn't seem to notice the discomfort that settled in the room at his words either. Naruto turned to Tsunade.

"Kakashi-sensei is my opponent?" he asked her. She turned to the jounin, before nodding. He dipped his head slightly, the tiniest of smirks on his lips. "They choose quality over quantity. I'd be more than obliged to duel with him." He turned to look at the scarecrow shinobi.

"A spar?" He seemed to have brightened up at that. "This will be a good time to test his skills then." He turned to the blonde who was the striking image of his late sensei. "I hope you're ready – I won't hold back," he warned. Naruto chuckled mirthlessly, and shook his head.

"Don't worry, Kakashi-sensei. I will." He replied. Tsunade was smirking as well, and Kakashi could not help but feel like both of them knew something that they were not about to tell him.

"Training ground sixteen whenever you're ready," Tsunade announced, grabbing a scroll and unrolling it. Kakashi's eyes curved into an upside-down 'u' as he smiled.

"I'm ready any time," he replied. Naruto nodded in agreement, but said nothing. She nodded.

"All right then. What do you two say we assess Naruto now?" The two shinobi nodded, and leapt out of the window, doubtless headed for the assigned training ground. Tsunade chuckled slightly, her lips curving into a scowl. "If you don't get down from there this minute, I am going to break your ribs, Jiraiya. Instead of staring down my shirt, why don't we go and see how far our child of the prophecy has come?" she suggested, a vein throbbing in her forehead.

There was sheepish laughter, and soon a long ponytail of wild white hair hung from the window. Tsunade grabbed it, and dragged the person attached to it into the office. "Let's go," she stated, not even looking at the toad sannin as she exited the office by way of the door.

Naruto glanced over at Kakashi as they both dashed side by side to the training ground. "Kakashi-sensei, how have Sakura-chan and Sasuke been doing in their training?" he questioned.

To tell the truth, he knew perfectly well about Sasuke – the Uchiha had trained with the snake-sannin for so long that Naruto was able to watch him. Thankfully, he had managed to get the younger Uchiha to abandon that approach to revenge. Not that he had managed to get the raven to stop his thirst for revenge – he had just managed to get him away from the snake.

Now Sakura, he knew that she had changed. She seemed more independent when he saw her once more. Of course, he could tell she still held her passion for Sasuke – she just wasn't as obsessed as she was. It was something more...genuine, one could say.

"Sasuke is extremely powerful these days. He is on par with me, but he needs to learn the importance of teamwork. If he continues to rely on himself alone when in a fight against many other shinobi, he will fall." Naruto nodded thoughtfully.

"Sakura has been training under Tsunade-sama. She is a very talented medic-nin, and her chakra control is just as precise. She's very strong, so I recommend you don't get on her nerves." Naruto nodded absent-mindedly.

"She had a lot of potential, but she had to simply put it to use," he stated. All of his friends had a lot of potential. They all had their own primes, but they were all extrememly talented in his eyes. He was proud that they would call him their friend.

"Indeed. Naruto, what have you been up to for the past years?" Naruto turned his head to face forward.

"I've been training. I work as a mercenary for the five great nations," he stated. I've even gone undercover for Konoha more often than not." Naruto could practically feel the calculation happening in his former sensei's head as the information given was registered.

Neither of the two spoke any further as they landed in the training ground surrounded by wires around its circumference. It was a large place, giving plenty of room for the spar that was about to proceed, no holds barred for one side, and yet to be determined for the other.

Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate above his Sharingan, and stared at Naruto from his distance a few metres away. Naruto stood in his place calmly, and waited for a signal in which they could begin.

"All right. For this, you know your goal: to defeat me. I assume that no killing is permitted, and no near-death situations either. If both of us are still going strong, then we will conclude this in the afternoon." Naruto nodded.

Kakashi took a few more steps back, but Naruto held his position. The blonde raised his right hand with the seal of confrontation, but did nothing, instead, waiting for the jounin to make the first move. He frowned slightly as neither of them did anything for a few moments. He did, however, catch the Sharingan beginning to spin.

Naruto immediately leapt into the surrounding foliage. He had trained against genjutsu, and he now knew the style inside and out. It wasn't his stongest point, so he decided to stay out of it for now. A small smirk curved onto his lips. So this was going to be serious. Good.

He landed on a limb of a nearby tree, and watched the copy-nin, performing a few seals. He didn't want to attempt anything too complicated. He just wanted to keep it simple. He drew in a silent breath, and as he spoke, his voice came out as a bare whisper, almost inaudible to his own ears.

"Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu." It was something simple, and obviously just a distraction, but hopefully enough to make the silver-haired jounin think. He was not a natural fire style user. He blew out the attack in the direction of his sensei.

Reaching for two small scrolls he kept on his person, he unrolled them. From them, he summoned twin katana, both deep black in colour. He took them, and jumped over to where Kakashi had just counteracted with a water style jutsu. Naruto smiled slightly as he led his ex-sensei into a dance, giving him next to no time to perform seals.

The two weapons were wielded with extreme skill and ease by the blonde, who had fought Kurama, Itachi, Hidan, and Sasori with them. He had defeated the latter two, tied with the second, and was beaten by the first. Still, it was enough to prove his skill.

His movements were quick, sometimes subtle, and other times open. He could see the jounin's eyes widen as his blade was barely blocked. He locked eyes with the copty-nin, and stared intensely at him before jumping back, at the same time recalling his two katana. Slipping the scrolls into a hidden pocket, he performed a few quick hand seals.

Before he could send his attack, however, Kakashi's hand grabbed his ankle from the ground beneath him, and was just about to pull him down. He smirked, and performed another few quick seals in the little time he was given to do so.

As his hand made contact with the ground, said ground cracked, and the hand holding onto his ankle was released. He jumped back as the earth 'erupted' sending his ex-sensei flying. However, Kakashi was not a skilled shinobi for nothing, and landed on his feet, already forming seals at a rapid pace.

He blinked as a barrage of fire was sent against him, and countered it with a water jutsu. The exact moment, he did do, the ground beneath his feet collapsed, and he jumped out of the way to avoid its scale. By doing so, he was hit by a violent gust of wind, sending him flying back into a tree.

Recovering at an insanely quick pace, he jumped towards his sensei. They locked in a taijutsu battle with each other, and Naruto managed to land a share of hits on Kakashi, receiving some in return.

He allowed the smallest of smiles to slip onto his lips, before making a few seals as he moved, dodging his former sensei's strikes. He clapped his hands together. "Heaven style: Eye of Judgement." His clapped hands moved apart, and between them emerged an oblong shape that seemed to be composed entirely of light.

The light grew brighter until it illuminated both of them, and the surrounding area within a few feet of them as well. Naruto's smirk slowly widened as he caught the shocked expression on the silver-haired jounin's eyes before the light shrouded even that due to its brightness. He closed his eyes.

Tsunade and Jiraiya, the former sitting on the limb of a tree, and the latter standing at its foot had to shield their eyes from the viciously glaring light. Tsunade bit her lip out of the sheer power that seemed to emanate directly from the figure responsible for it. The last time she had remembered such power was in the days of her grandfather and the Uchiha that hated him for who knows what reason.

"Where did he learn this?" Jiraiya demanded. She could only shake her head in response. He frowned. "The Heaven techniques died long before the days of the Shodaime," he stated. "There are absolutely no records of what they were or how they were performed – only that they existed."

Tsunade frowned. Just how much was this boy capable of? In fact, she doubted he had been taking the entire thing very seriously because of his reaction when he was told he had to fight, and that the one he had to fight was Kakashi.

A few moments later, the light dissipated, and Naruto stepped towards them, holding the jounin's unconscious figure. He shrugged, a sheepish glint within his eyes as he handed the silver-haired nin to Jiraiya. He bowed slightly.

"My apologies, but I have to contact someone so I couldn't stay longer," he told them. Tsunade held up a hand, a grim look within her eyes.

"Naruto, wait." He paused, and turned to look at her.

"That last technique you used..." she drifted off. His eyes drifted over to Jiraiya, before returning to her.

"It is a genjutsu based attack that is extremely potent and requires a large amount of chakra to perform, meaning only select few can do so without tiring out. Rarely is it ever done more than once at a time." Tsunade shook her head.

"No...not that. That style..."

"Heaven style?" he questioned. She nodded. He sighed.

"Detailed records are kept within the demon archives, under extremely complex seals." He turned, and made to head off to who knows where, but before he did, he turned to glance over at Jiraiya. His blue eyes swirling with purple became red-orange, and their pupils narrowed to slits.

"I will give permission for you to understand to a small extent." Naruto's eyes returned to normal, and he jumped away without a second thought, leaving the two sannin standing there, one of them holding the copy-nin's unconscious body.

"Tsunade," he stated. She nodded.

"I will give you a shallow overview, but first we have to let Kakashi rest somewhere. Bring him to the infirmary, and tell the attendants to let him leave as soon as he wakes up." The blonde turned her back, and began to walk off.

Naruto frowned, as he jumped from roof to roof in attempts to clear his mind nd have a small conversation with the demon lord within him.

" _Kurama? Was it wise to end the duel like that?"_ he questioned.

 _Perhaps it wasn't, but I won't argue if you need to contact them. It may have been wise. Those two seem like people who would not betray such critical information._

" _All right – if you say so. I apologize for revealing the Heaven Style techniques. I should have stuck to something simpler."_ He could practically see Kurama rolling his eyes.

 _Look, kit. You barely gave them any information about it, and even if they did know, they wouldn't be able to perform it unless desperate due to the massive amount of chakra needed. That is why the Heaven techniques have only been used by the demons. That is, until now._

Naruto nodded in reply, and jumped into his bedroom through the open window. Crossing his legs on the bed, he drew in a soft breath, and sighed before closing his eyes and raising a hand in the seal of confrontation. He waited silently for a few moments.

"Ah. Naruto-kun. It's good to see you again." Naruto's silhouette gazed back at twin Rinnegan, and he bowed slightly, more out of habit than anything else.

"You too, Pein-sama. I have given the scroll to Tsunade-sama, but she has yet to make any mention of the Akatsuki." The orange-haired Ame shinobi nodded, and glanced back down at the scrolls that littered his desk.

"Even if she made no mention, I have a feeling she does know that it was sent from us. If she does not, she will discover eventually. Seiatsu is a shared enemy between both parties, and one cannot afford to have more than one enemy with such a group."

Naruto nodded in understanding, before watching as the leader of the Akatsuki rolled up a scroll and sealed it, before setting it on the corner of his desk.

"The effectiveness of our preparation is hindered by the fact that we only cover one area. I have decided that as soon as Kisame returns, we will dispatch the Akatsuki so that we can cover more ground. We have also decided to send one of our members and station them with you as well, although probably under a henge of some sort." He paused and waited for the blonde's reaction.

"That sounds reasonable. But the only problem will be getting them into the village. Tsunade-sama will notice that it is merely a henge, and if whoever is behind it is discovered, it could place us all in jeopardy." Pein nodded in understanding.

"I understand that. Which is why I am giving you the task of reasoning with the Hokage if such an event takes place. You are also to keep your charge in check." Naruto blinked slowly, before sighing once more.

"I suspect that you want me to ask you who my charge is, am I wrong?" The Ame ninja shook his head, a slight smile on his lips – a rare sight indeed.

"As a matter of fact, you are perfectly correct. He has volunteered for the job, and promised to be tame while in the village. He should arrive tomorrow morning – not all of us are as fast as you, Naruto-kun – and meet you at the edge of the forest."

Naruto could tell that the leader of the Akatsuki was playing with him, although Pein wasn't the type to do things like that. Pein, Konan, and Kisame seemed to have made a habit of teasing him until he snapped. Fortunately for them, he didn't snap as often as he used to.

Naruto remained silent, not wanting to give the leader any satisfaction in knowing that he had managed to provoke him. Pein merely chuckled, before rolling up another scroll on his desk and sealing it. He set that one beside the previous one that had been sealed.

"You are to be partnered with Deidara for this. We have decided that it is an ideal choice to compliment your ability, as you specialize as a close-range fighter. He will be able to cover your back for you, and if the situation calls for it, you can do the same."

Naruto thought through what he had been told, weighing out the positives and negatives of the decision that had been made. After a few moments, he nodded slowly.

"All right. I will meet him tomorrow morning at daybreak, and will only go to see Tsunade-sama when she calls me. I'm certain she will have questions to ask. Deidara will have to refrain from explosions of any sort for the time being unless said otherwise, I'm afraid." The leader of the Akatsuki nodded.

"So he has been told. You may go now." Naruto bowed.

Opening his eyes, the blonde glanced over at his hitai-ate, before his gaze drifted over to the mask. So Deidara would be arriving. Hopefully he would at least listen this once and make himself as inconspicuous as possible. It would be a lot of trouble to explain if half the village was blown to pieces.

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Deidara is coming to town~ Naruto seems to be taking that pretty well, actually. Funny that Naruto would use a genjutsu attack when he's the least adept at genjutsu. That's more of Ita-chan's thing. So~ will give cheesecake for reviews?


	6. Chapter 5

Hello everyone~ Thank you for the follows and faves (again!) I would say something about how grateful I am, but that's becoming a little redundant, so I hope you all realize how grateful I am.

Avoiding questions is a lot harder than it seems for our kyuubi vessel. Training is even more difficult if he doesn't want anyone to know about his power! Naruto learns a technique of the Hakaigan! Yay!

 _" Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I own only the story itself.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 5: Something Else

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Naruto coughed lightly, before standing up and glancing down at the ground outside. Leaping onto said ground, he looked around, and immediately spotted Team 10 walking towards him. They didn't seem to have a particular destination in mind – at least the two boys didn't. Ino could be unpredictable.

The long-haired blonde spotted him and ran over, a grin plastered on her face. Naruto stared at her, knowing that he should probably run or suffer the consequences. He glanced over at the Nara and the Akimichi, but neither of them helped him out.

"Hey, Naruto! We were thinking of going to a buffet today – we could even invite the rest of our friends! Do you want to come?" Naruto stared at her for a few short moments that honestly felt like a long while.

"Ah...no thank you; I already ate." Unless they would force him to, he wouldn't need to eat for the rest of the day. He began to walk away, in the opposite direction that Team 10 was headed. Ino frowned, an eyebrow cocked in suspicion.

"It's not like him to refuse food like that," she thought out loud. Shikamaru shrugged. Honestly, he was more curious about that thing in Naruto's head. He wondered if anyone else had noticed it. From their reactions, probably not.

Naruto sprang onto the nearest roof, and gazed at the Hokage tower. He wondered if it would be bothersome if he just asked Tsunade where his former sensei was. He wanted to see him, and make sure he was all right.

Now he knew that Kakashi was an extremely hardy ninja. He was a prodigy from a young age – just like Sasuke. But that didn't mean that he was impervious to the effects of attack. Naruto recalled the time Itachi had trapped him in his Tsukuyomi.

The Eye of Judgement was even stronger than Tsukuyomi even if it was one of the simpler Heaven techniques, and Naruto did not know exactly what sort of psychological stress the silver-haired shinobi was under. All he knew, was that he should probably stop it, and soon.

He began to walk up to the office, and once again entered without any given permission. He knew she wouldn't mind...too much, at least. After all, having to ask permission to enter before having his presence announced was not something he wanted to go through every time he wished to enter the office.

He spotted the brown gaze of the Hokage drift over to him. It was evident that she had questions to ask him, but he also knew that she couldn't. What they knew was not to be shared, and there were currently all the ANBU and both of the Godaime's apprentices present in the room.

"Tsunade-sama, I want to see Kakashi-sensei," he stated. The two women who were standing before the Hokage's desk turned and glanced over at him, surprised. Tsunade, glanced over at the pink-haired kunoichi.

"Sakura, take him to Kakashi." Sakura nodded, and left a couple of documents on Tsunade's desk, before walking out of the office, motioning for the blonde to follow. Naruto walked silently alongside her, trying to be as unassuming as he could.

"So...Naruto." The Uzumaki was beginning to wonder if his return to Konoha was a large-scale interrogation. He supposed they had their rights and reasons to question him, but that made it no less tiresome. It was something he was used to, though, so he didn't really pay any mind any more.

"Where were you for so long?" Typical. That's what everyone wanted to know. Then again, everyone's thoughts were centred on the fact that he had been on a long term mission. He shrugged.

"I've travelled around, but mainly I've been in the Land of Rivers," he answered truthfully. He saw not much point in telling lies if the truth would only be discovered eventually. Lies were only something that delayed that event. Besides – he had discovered a long time ago that he was a terrible liar. Not as bad as Kakashi, but still fairly bad.

The pink-haired kunoichi led him to the infirmary unit where Kakashi was placed. She glanced over at him. "Do you know what happened to Kakashi sensei?" Naruto barely spared her a glance as he walked towards the unconscious jounin.

Pressing his two fingers against the scarecrow shinobi's forehead, he injected his chakra into him. Unlike normal genjutsu, once that particular technique was cast, it was not controlled. It still had to be undone like any other genjutsu technique, but only if chakra was forced into certain spots in the body.

"Kai!"

He was met by mismatched eyes. His small smirk returned, and he lazily half-waved at his ex-sensei. "Welcome back to the land of the living, Kakashi-sensei. Sorry I'm late. I was in the middle of an important talk. Otherwise I would have arrived earlier."

Sakura blinked, not sure what exactly had happened. She stared at the two, both of who seemed to know something she didn't. She frowned, but remained silent, attempting to glean as much information as she could out of the two.

"What was that, Naruto?" Naruto frowned, and averted his eyes.

"Something I probably should not have done. Forgive me – I was in a little bit of a hurry, you see. Otherwise I would not have shortened it to that length." The jounin's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but Naruto didn't seem to notice it. "If you want to spar again, I'll make it longer," Naruto offered.

"Maa...I don't think that will be necessary," Kakashi assured. "This was only an assessment of your skills. But never before have I seen such a technique..." Naruto shrugged, keeping in mind that Sakura was still in the room. He could almost feel her stare.

"It's not very advanced for that style," he responded. "As a matter of fact, it was one of the first ones in that style that I learnt," he added. He turned, and glanced over at his teammate from seven years ago. "Thanks for bringing me here, Sakura-chan. I should probably be off now."

He jumped out of the window, leaving the two ninja in the infirmary. Sakura frowned at his retreating figure, before glancing over at the copy-nin, who didn't look too bad for what she had seen only about a half-hour ago.

"What happened?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. Her ex-sensei ran a hand through his silver hair, and shook his head somewhat helplessly.

"To be honest, I'm not really sure myself," he replied. They both knew that was an unsatisfactory answer.

Naruto hopped up the Hokage monument, and gazed down at the village. A slight breeze ruffled his hair, and he closed his eyes. A frown crossed his face, and he stared at his surroundings. He could see nothing, but at the same time he had a feeling that he was being watched.

His eyes narrowed as they darted around searching for any sign of anything, but he spotted none, neither did he sense anything. It was only his instinct that pointed this out to him, and nothing else. He scanned the area once more, before forcing himself to relax.

Shrugging off the thought, he jumped down. Altitude really did wonders on your mind, and not exactly in the good way either. Naruto decided to think no more of it, instead walking around a random path for lack of anything better to do.

He should have probably stretched the fight longer and then talked with Pein later. Now he had nothing else to do, and he could even go as far to say that he was bored. He couldn't even train because it would be noticed by someone else.

He also didn't have much time to muse on anything else, as a giant furry thing tackled him to the ground, and began to lick at his face. He blinked in surprise, and found himself staring at an enormous and exuberant dog.

"Akamaru! Heel!"

Naruto sat up as the dog stepped off him, and glanced over at the Inuzuka, who was running over to them with a half annoyed half amused expression on his face. Naruto's gaze drifted back to the dog. This was Akamaru? He was...huge!

Naruto chuckled slightly, unable to hide the slight shock within his eyes. When he had left Konoha, Akamaru had still been a puppy small enough to sit on Kiba's head. Now he was big enough to be a medium-ish horse.

"I didn't see him with you yesterday," Naruto stated, standing up and ruffling the canine's ears. "He's grown." Kiba grinned proudly.

"Yep. He's almost as big as Kuromaru. He'll outgrow him one day!" Naruto hadn't the slightest clue of who Kuromaru was, but he safely assumed that it was one of the Inuzuka's dogs. Absent-mindedly, he patted the large dog on the head.

"What have you all been doing lately?" Kiba shrugged.

"Eh, nothing really. Kurenai-sensei is in no state to take us out on missions...so I suppose training at the most." The Uzumaki's eyes narrowed slightly another mishap with the Akatsuki. He had made sure to give the five-hearted missing-nin the full brunt of what he had thought of that. Some things were just more important than money.

"I see..." he drifted off, not wanting to go into detail. Besides – acting like he knew all about something when he wasn't supposed to was what fell into his book of suspicious. He was smarter than that. Nodding slowly, he began to walk off.

He could feel yet another stare boring into his back as he retreated. He wondered what the Inuzuka thought of him. He had forgotten to take into serious consideration the fact that he would still be judged when he returned to Konoha, but only on a different scale. Last time, it was for who he wasn't. This time, it was for who he had become.

He wondered if the rest of Team 8 were nearby as well. Probably. He skirted the main path, and began to walk eastward.

He had no idea where he was headed until he almost ran into someone he was more than familiar with. He rolled his eyes slightly.

"Dobe."

"Teme."

The two stared at each other for a long while. Naruto was beginning to wonder what sort of psychological torment Sasuke had been put through for him to continue wearing that style of clothing even after the whole Orochimaru incident. He'd honestly rather wear the orange tracksuit again if he had to choose between this or the orange.

The thought amused him, and he was sure it showed in his eyes as he saw the Uchiha's narrow. He smirked slightly, but it soon faded off. "Hello, Sasuke," he greeted simply, before walking off. He stopped as he felt a hand grab his shoulder.

"Don't 'hello Sasuke' and then run off on me, dobe," the Uchiha snapped. Naruto sighed. Irritable as ever. He stared at the youngest Uchiha.

"What do you want, Sasuke?" he asked coolly. Sasuke seemed a little taken aback by the question, and Naruto rolled his eyes. "If you don't need anything, then what use is there in stopping me?" he questioned. When he received no immediate response, he turned, and began to walk away again.

"Wait." He stopped. "What were you up to all these years? Don't lie – I know you were watching me." The Uzumaki smirked. Finally. A question. He was waiting to see whether pride was more important than knowledge on this one.

"Didn't you technically answer your own question?" he queried, glancing over his shoulder. After a moment, he shrugged. "I was working as a mercenary," he replied simply. He could hear a derisive snort behind him.

"You? A mercenary? The last time I remember, you have the stealth of a fish out of water, dobe." Naruto shrugged once more, and shook his head slowly, before once again beginning to walk off.

"I'm not here to be ridiculed, Uchiha."

He couldn't help but feel that he was being a little harsh with the younger of the two brothers, but sometimes he couldn't help but feel like that was exactly what Sasuke needed. He continued to walk, wondering what other people he would run into.

He recalled that Deidara was to be stationed in Konoha, and couldn't help but wonder if the artist would actually bother to use a henge. He hoped he wasn't wearing the cloak either. Naruto couldn't help but wonder how the Akatsuki were not immediately identified by their characteristic cloaks. Still, it was better if Deidara wasn't wearing it, even if he was under a henge.

He passed by the Hyuuga compound, and barely noted two pairs of pale eyes watching him. When he did, he turned, and lifted a hand in greeting. He eyed the blushing girl, and his lips curved upwards slightly. If she thought she wasn't being obvious, then she was wrong.

Neji on the other hand was still watching him through narrowed eyes that were not activated. Naruto still had to understand what exactly had happened. So...did that mean the Hakaigan could force the Byakugan into submission but not the Sharingan? Neji had crumbled under it, but Kakashi and Itachi seemed fine looking at him with Sharingan.

"Neji," he called. "I need to speak with you." The brunet nodded, before mumbling something to Hinata, and walking over to him. He dipped his head at the Hyuuga heiress, noting that she did not follow the older of the two.

"I did not tell anyone," Neji stated. Naruto nodded slightly.

"I know. Thank you for that. I still cannot tell you in great detail of it, but since you already know of its existence, I suppose that there's no use in hiding it from you." The brunet stared at him quietly. "But I want to know. What exactly did you see?" he questioned. The Hyuuga frowned.

"When I looked at your chakra network, it was practically pulsating with power waiting to be used. However, the awesome amount of chakra seemed to be kept perfectly in check, so your body was not in any danger. The highest concentration, however, was within that object in your forehead." He paused. "Naruto, exactly what have you been doing all this time? You were not even half of what you are now before you left the village." The blonde's lips quirked upwards slightly.

"I had an exemplary mentor," he answered. "The chakra reserves are a combination of mine and my mentor's with an equal ratio of each other. The power itself is what I have honed over the past years." Naruto fell silent, not wanting to say any more.

"I see...I will not question further – I have a feeling I am toying with something dangerous." Naruto nodded slowly.

"Thank you. I appreciate it," he said gratefully. The Hyuuga nodded in reply, before glancing over at Hinata who was watching both of them. He walked over to her, and Naruto waved before leaving. He had to admit, no matter how arrogant Neji could be, the Hyuuga was a trustworthy friend.

Naruto was beginning to wonder if he should place more of that trust in his other friends. A lot of them were closer to him that Neji was, and if the Hyuuga was a person that could keep a secret, surely they would be able to do so as well, right?

The blonde was quick to dismiss the idea. It wasn't because he didn't trust his friends – it was only because he didn't think spreading the news like that was a very wise idea. Bitter experience had taught him many things, and he knew all too well that if too many people are let in on what shouldn't be known, the outcome couldn't possibly be good.

He jumped into a bough of a nearby tree, and sat there swinging his legs in a rather child-like movement. He hummed slightly to himself, unable to remember the last time he had done something like this.

He contemplated on his arrival at the village once more. Even though he could go where he wanted within the village, he still couldn't help but feel a loss of freedom. He wanted mobility outside the village as well as inside.

That was something he knew not many could understand, not even his fellow shinobi. Having lived in Konoha all their lives, it only made sense that they would not yearn for the outside world as he would. Even if he had freedom within the village, if he could not wander outside without permission, it was the same as being in prison, or at least being contained.

Naruto huffed slightly, and opened his eyes, feeling somewhat restless. He sighed, and leapt off the limb he was previously sitting upon, alighting on the ground. Standing there, he closed his eyes. He could feel a strange surge of power coursing through his veins, and decided to follow it.

He could feel it pooling out of his Hakaigan, and in curiosity, he reached up to touch it. He opened his eyes, and pulled his hand back. To his surprise, he drew out seven orbs that seemed to be composed entirely of surging chakra.

The spherical concentrations of chakra each had a colour of its own: red, green, yellow, brown, blue, white, and black. Naruto eyed them, but made no move to do anything. It seemed as though he had discovered something, but he wasn't sure what.

 _Ah...I see. Naruto, now begins your first lesson. Kekkei Mora._

Naruto summoned a kage bunshin, and Kurama soon took possession of it, materializing into a tangible form. Naruto stared at the chakra swirling before him. "Kekkei Mora? Is that anything like Kekkei Genkai?" he questioned.

Kurama watched the orbs of chakra as well. "I suppose you could create Kekkei Genkai as well, but it would not be as powerful as Kekkei Mora," he stated. "Kekkei Mora is when you have possession of all the chakra natures and are able to combine all of them into a single technique. You can make many powerful techniques using Kekkei Mora."

Naruto frowned, and reached out to prod at the ball of white chakra. He nodded slowly. "I see...so this one," he pointed to the red, "is fire, this one wind, this one, lightning, this one earth, this one water?" Kurama nodded. Naruto frowned. "But what are the last two?"

"This one is light, and this one is dark," Kurama informed, pointing respectively at the white chakra, then the black. He chuckled. "Fortunately for you, Kekkei Mora is within my range of Hakaigan as well, so I know how to teach you."

The blonde nodded, and Kurama stepped back. "I want you to counter my attack, which too will be Kekkei Mora. It will not be. What I expect is an equal amount of force to diverge the chakra. The ratio of chakra for this must be stable, or else the attack could be hazardous to not only the enemy, but you as well." Naruto nodded, listening carefully.

He watched as Kurama's Hakaigan began to glow, and soon the seven orbs of chakra were circulating around him as well. Naruto watched as his hands began to move in a way that Naruto found very similar when creating a bijuudama or rasengan. He could see chakra being taken from all seven natures, and combined together within Kurama's hands.

The orb created was a swarming spectrum, and Naruto could feel the immense power radiating from it. He blinked, and snapped out of his haze as Kurama smirked before firing it in his direction. Quickly, he began to create his own, making sure that he was able to keep a stable ratio.

He frowned as control completely slipped his grasp and his creation flew out of his hands, colliding with Kurama's. The result was a blinding flash, before part of their surroundings disappeared. Thankfully, Naruto was able to dodge the haphazard chakra, and Kurama as well.

At the destruction that lay before him, his eyes widened. Kurama stepped up beside him, and chuckled slightly, amused at the mishap from the blonde. He himself had had a similar reaction when attempting his first attack and using an unstable orb.

"You see, kit, this specific attack is able to destroy whatever it makes contact with down to the molecular structure. The debris is still here – you just can't see it because it has been torn to molecular fragments." Naruto blinked, awed.

Kurama had taught him many things over the seven years he had been gone, all of them, never ceasing to amaze him. It seemed as though the demon lord was not done surprising him just yet. Now he just had to learn to control this...

"Kurama-sama, is it really wise for you to have given me such power?" he questioned, unsure. He had wished for the power to protect, but not to the extent where he could grow to be one of the most powerful in existence. He feared that if that happened, he would lose the knowledge that he needed his comrades and friends. He didn't want that.

Kurama merely smirked, and eyed the destruction before him, before raising his hand, and sending his chakra through the destroyed area. Soon, it regrew and became just as it was before.

"Kit, I didn't choose to give you that power. That power chose to reside within you." Naruto didn't question the statement. He had a feeling that if he did, he would only be left with an unsatisfactory answer.

"Is that another element of your Hakaigan, Kurama-sama?" he asked, referring to the healing of the land. The demon fox simply answered with a nod.

"Yes. If you are going to ask why I did not do the same with your training in the Land of Rivers, it is because I didn't need to. Here, if this wreckage is discovered, there are bound to be more questions." Naruto nodded in understanding.

"Let me try this again," he stated, determined to master the attack that Kurama had taught him. Summoning the natures, he began to combine them quickly, and carefully, under the watchful eyes of his mentor.

Thrice he had failed and destroyed the clearing, before he managed to master it. It would have taken longer, but he already had experience in similar jutsu such as the bijuudama and rasengan, so the combining was not as hard as it would have been.

Staring at Kurama, he hurled the attack at him, not bothering to call its name as he didn't know what its name was. His mentor created one of equal size in no time at all, and countered the attack with his own. The chakra explosion was larger than all the ones before, and the two had to run from the clearing.

After it had faded, Naruto walked towards the site of the explosion, followed calmly by Kurama. At the destruction, he paled considerably. There was no sign that there had ever been a forest for at least ten metres in diameter from where the two orbs of chakra had made contact.

Naruto could hear footsteps, and immediately clapped his hands together, both calling back Kurama and dispersing the seven orbs of all the chakra natures. He bit his lip as he eyed the damage that didn't look like damage, just as his two team mates and former sensei broke into the clearing.

Sakura glanced around at the circle, and spotted Naruto. He caught the widening of her eyes, before she ran towards him, and punched at him. He dodged, and alighted on the limb of a tree, staring down at the other members of Team 7.

"Calm down, Sakura-chan! What happened?" he questioned. Kakashi looked around.

"I do believe that a large rush of chakra followed by an explosion then a scene with my former student standing by a clearing that had not previously existed is some reason to worry," he stated. Naruto frowned.

"I'm fine, Kakashi-sensei. Sakura-chan, don't knock the tree over – it won't help the situation." His eyes drifted over to Sasuke who was staring directly at him, Sharingan activated. Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he stared right back at Sasuke.

A few moments later, the Uchiha, winced and turned away. When he met Naruto's gaze, his eyes were the same onyx hue of his older brother's. Naruto nodded slowly to himself before leaping to the ground. So the Hakaigan could force the Sharingan into submission as well.

* * *

More things about Naruto's new gem thing! I really have to wonder what Sasuke thinks about this. Will trade chocolate for reviews~


	7. Chapter 6

Hey guys~ And the usual thank you for faves/follows/reviews again! I may be a little less quick in updates, because I've gotten awfully busy for some reason...but I will try to do an update daily - I hate keeping people waiting. And now a reply to some reviews~

darkfox2357: Well~ I like making my stories have some form of plot~ I may not be the best of writers, but it's more of a hobby than anything.

GarionRiva: It's slash. I realize I made a mistake in not putting that in the summary. There is an underlined message in the A/N part of the prologue, but not enough people bother reading that ;)

bicklepie: mwahahaha~ it's because I'm evil :)

Xendrax: I'm sure Dei-chan is more responsible that that...all right, not really. As for updates, like I said before, I'm like Sasori in the way I hate to keep people waiting ;) Thanks for the motivation~

More Hakaigan power! Naruto really has to be careful with the things he's discovered. There's a lot more behind them than meets the eye.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 6: Yin and Yang

* * *

"Well...sorry if it worried you, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto apologized, dodging Sakura's fist once more, and catching it in his hand. He turned to her, a slightly worried look in his eyes. "Sakura-chan, you may be strong, but if you keep doing that, you're only going to hurt yourself."

He released her hand, and began to walk off. He wasn't in the mood for this right now. He really did prefer his open training ground in the Land of Rivers to this. Not because he didn't like his friends, but because he'd rather train in private. As in, alone.

Perhaps he could get some permission from Tsunade to just train within the forest or some place where people were less likely to disrupt him. Yes, he should probably do that. Then maybe he could catch sight of Deidara before anyone else did as well.

Before he could exit the destroyed area, however, he was stopped by the Uchiha. He sighed. He knew what Sasuke was going to ask. He was growing a little tired of being thrown the same question over and over again.

"Look Sasuke, I'm not in the best of moods right now. Can you catch me later?" he questioned, before walking on. When he reached the edge of the forest, Sharingan was already swirling, and directed at him. However, since he could not see, 360 degrees, he didn't notice.

He left for the opposite side of the village. The problem with training like he had in a village like this was that he never knew when someone might burst in on him, and if he caused something like he had earlier, he would immediately be pinpointed and tracked.

Sighing, he made it to the training ground beside the Memorial Stone. His lips quirked up ever so slightly before falling into a neutral position. This place brought back so many memories it was almost funny. Like that time where he had been tied to a tree stump before they had been initiated as genin.

A low chuckle passed his lips, and he spotted said stump. He walked over to it, and laid a hand on it, before turning around, and sliding down until he was sitting upon the ground, his back resting against it.

He stared out, unsure of what to do at the moment. He would normally be spending time with his friends, but he didn't want to. Not because he didn't want their company, but because he didn't want to risk giving away important information when talking with them, and answering their many questions.

Or he would be eating ramen, and if not ramen then something else. There was a little problem with that too. His appetite had diminished to the point where that ramen cup he'd had that morning was more than enough to suffice for the entire day. If he ate anything more, it would make a later appearance in a far less pleasing fashion.

He would be on a mission, otherwise, but he doubted the Hokage was so willing to send him off just after he'd returned. He knew she wanted to speak with him as well, but he wanted to hold it off until Deidara arrived at least.

Or he would be training, but he had just done that earlier, and knew he would not be able to do jutsu training in peace. Maybe taijutsu, kenjutsu, or bukijutsu, but not the ones he wanted to train in. If only he could construct a barrier...well he could, but that may be going too far.

He could sleep, he supposed, but he wasn't tired at all. At the very least, he needed a short six hours and he would be fine throughout the day. He knew that if he tried to go to sleep he wouldn't be able to, so he didn't didn't bother.

He pulled his knees up to his chest, and lowered his chin to rest upon them in a very familiar position. Sometimes, keeping secrets could be more tiring than training. Why he had so many of them to keep, he didn't want to know.

He had a feeling Kurama had many more than he did, but it was easier for the Kyuubi to keep them a secret. He was basically the only one that could question him at any given time, and he knew better than to do so unless necessary. He knew how far the demon fox's patience stretched, and he had learned his lesson in trying it.

 _Let me out, kit. Having to listen to your rambling thoughts is troublesome._

With a wry smirk, Naruto formed a kage bunshin allowing Kurama a temporary body to reside in, away from the direct glare of his 'rambling thoughts'. His eyes drifted over to his mentor, who stood calmly staring around at the training ground, but making no move to do anything.

"It's been a long while since you've done nothing much but sit around," Kurama stated. Naruto shrugged. It's not like he had much choice. His eyes drifted back to the ground before him. He hummed slightly before falling silent.

"If you continue to do so, your skills will grow dull. It doesn't matter how strong the wielder is – if the sword is dull, it is useless. Your sword is as strong as your will to protect, Naruto." Naruto's lips twitched upwards slightly, He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"I suppose you want to strengthen my will to protect then, Kurama-sama." He stood up, and slipped out his two scrolls. It took quite a lot of skills to fit such large objects into such small scrolls, but Naruto found it much more convenient than carrying larger ones like Kankuro or Tenten.

He summoned them from the scrolls, and picked up both. Tossing one over to his sensei, he held his own in a ready stance. How strong was his sword? He was confident that his will to protect was strong, and with that confidence, he was going to sharpen his blade.

He took a few steps back, before charging at his mentor. Catching the slight movement of the redhead's chest, he quickly swerved his blade in that direction. His movement was easily countered, and he was thrown back with a powerful sweep.

Skidding backwards, he managed to maintain his balance, and held his ground as this time Kurama took the offensive and ran for him. He stood there, waiting until Kurama swiped at him. He jumped into the air to avoid the blade.

He knew he tended to underestimate Kurama at times, but it seemed that the demon lord always had tricks up his sleeve. The redhead easily defeated his own momentum and changed the direction of his swipe upwards. Naruto barely had the time to parry the attack.

As soon as he had alighted back on the ground, they both charged at each other, their blades screeching in the otherwise calm midday air. Naruto was forced onto the defensive by the sheer power of his sensei, but he was expecting that.

Pulling his blade down and out of the contact it shared with the one in his mentor's grasp, he ducked under it, and quickly stood up behind the demon lord, attempting to make a slash at his back. Kurama whirled around and struck his blade just before it could hit him. However, Naruto did catch a tiny scrap of royal blue with gold thread fall to the ground.

He glanced up at his mentor, but spotted no tears in his yukata. Since he was a kage bunshin, and one not possessed by Naruto himself, that meant he was more hardy than a regular bunshin. Whatever had been sheared off had already been repaired. Still, it gave Naruto the confidence he needed. If he had managed to graze his sensei's outfit, then he was getting better.

He jumped about five feet away, and stared at the redhead. Finally, he charged once more, jumping into the air at the last minute. He was met above ground by Kurama, who traded a few slashes with him, and managed to tear off a part of his sleeve near his shoulder. Due to the complexity of the swing, Naruto quickly spun around, and held his blade with both hands just as Kurama's met with his.

The force sent him reeling, and he hit the ground on his back, the contact winding him. The force of the strike sent his blade cutting into his hand. Blood seeped out of the wound that had been inflicted upon his hand, but it was soon perfectly healed with no scar in sight.

He could see that Kurama was waiting for him to stand up and continue, and he would not disappoint his teacher. Pushing himself to his feet, he waited, not wanting to go offensive just yet. His breathing was ragged from being winded, and he fought to catch his breath.

The bunshin ran towards him, and slashed out in a wide arc, leaving him all the room he needed to parry it. However, as he moved to do so, the arc abruptly dropped lower, headed in the direction of his ribs. On instinct, he jumped back.

No sooner after he land on the ground did his blade move up to parry Kurama's. With a burst of strength, he thrust his blade forward before drawing it back only for it to make contact a mere moment later.

The screeching clang of the notes formed by the two blades would have begun to hurt the ears of whoever had to listen to such a noise, but Naruto had long since grown used to it. He exchanged a few fast jabs at his sensei, but they were parried easily.

He gritted his teeth slightly, and lunged forward once more, his swipe clearly going for the opposite direction that Kurama was moving. It seemed to be a foolish move – one that wasted his energy, but he still did it.

As expected, his blade struck wide of Kurama's shoulder, but as soon as he gained the room to do so, he jumped forward, using his momentum to swing back. He couldn't see, but heard the scream of metal as another blade sent it on a course out of his grasp.

His eyes drifted back to his sensei, and widened as he spotted a few strands of fiery red hair blowing out across the training ground. His sword landed a few feet behind him, blade buried in the dirt, but he didn't pay much attention to that.

He had managed to nick off part of Kurama's hair. He had never done that before. The demon fox always seemed to evade his strikes so easily without even breaking a sweat. Naruto always found it extremely frustrating that he could not even land a hit on the lord.

"Pay attention, Naruto!"

Naruto could hear the Kurama running at him, and knew that he was an easy target since he was weaponless. Jumping out of the way just in time, he tried to head for his discarded weapon. To his dismay, Kurama managed to get his hands on that one as well.

He stood a good distance away from his mentor who now wielded both of his katana, leaving him unarmed. His eyes darkened to purple, and he allowed a surge of power to leave his body as Kurama leapt at him once more, obviously not willing to let him lose lightly.

When his hands reached up to the jewel inlaid within his forehead, he pulled out a rod of glowing back chakra. The chakra soon solidified into a jet black glaive that was rather ornamental for a weapon, but it would have to do.

Not really paying much attention to what he had done, he attacked his mentor head on, both hands holding the rod of the glaive. The result of their collision was a wave of that same black chakra, seding both Naruto and Kurama skidding backwards.

Naruto barely noticed what the weapon was in his hands, but watched in surprise as Kurama discarded his twin katana, and pulled out of his Hakaigan a similar rod of pure white chakra. It too solidified into a matching glaive, just as ornamental, but white.

Naruto barely gave this a thought as they ran for each other again. The rods clashed against each other, and Naruto had to squint against the eruption of what seemed to be light and darkness. He stood his ground against the oncoming wave this time around, and kept his weapon upon Kurama's, refusing to give in.

Finally, drawing back, he let his body swing into a spin, his arm outstretched, horizontally held glaive creating a black circle around him as he gained speed. He spotted Kurama holding a defensive against him, his own glaive standing vertically erect.

Finally, after a few moments, the demon lord leapt into the air. Naruto slowed to a stop, and sidestepped just as the blade of the glaive hit the ground. Naruto stepped aside as the ground began to crack, the filling in between clearly the same as the white chakra that made the glaive.

He watched apprehensively as the chakra began to flow from the cracks which could not handle the pressure of such power within them. Finally, the ground gave in, and the chakra forced itself out in a blinding flash and a freezing heat. Naruto gasped as he was too late to move away, and the pure energy cut through his leg.

Thankfully, Kurama chose just then to recall the spilt power back into the weapon, before stepping up to Naruto with no intent of fighting for the time being. A small smirk was present on his vulpine features, and Naruto returned it, despite the fact that he was now sitting beside the ruined earth nursing his leg. His eyes had converted back to blue with their purple hints.

"My, we have a lot of similar abilities, don't we?" Kurama stated. Naruto glanced at the black glaive at his side, nodding, before picking it up and inspecting it as he waited for his leg to heal.

It was something he would not normally choose at first sight for a weapon. Since it was not metal but merely solidified chakra, he could feel the power pulsing beneath its exterior. The rod was engraved with many symbols that were carved into ethereal curlicues upon it. Upon the area where the rod made a transition into the blade and also on the end of the haft, were set radiant cut jet stones. On the blade, was a depiction of a raven.

"Rather exquisite for a weapon used for fighting, no?" Naruto voice, gazing at the arms in his hand. Kurama chuckled slightly.

"Fancy it may be, but it is still stronger than steel. Don't hesitate to use it just because you're afraid of putting a dent in it, kit." Naruto shrugged, and set it back down beside him, before glancing up at Kurama's.

"So...how many of these are there?" he questioned. "Is it seven like the chakra natures?" Kurama shook his head and handed the one in his hands over to Naruto. The blonde inspected this one as well.

Fashioned much like the black one, this one had kanji graven upon it as well. Instead of jet stones, it was inlaid with what seemed to be pearls, and the depiction on the blade was a wolf.

"No. These two are the balance for each other, proven to compliment each other when used in battle. This earned this one the name of Yin," he motioned to the black rod, "and this, Yang." He motioned to the white. "The difference between a normal weapon and these, are that it is easier to master both simultaneously rather than merely one at a time. To be able to control one without the other is actually harder than it sounds. Yin and Yang are not like the natures of light and shadow although they may look like it. The power within them exceeds that of light and darkness. Some even dubbed them as the representatives of the celestial sphere and the netherworld respectively."

Naruto glanced down at his rod, before shrugging, and picking it up. He concentrated it back into chakra and allowed it to flow back into his Hakaigan. Kurama did the same with his Yang. The Kyuubi glanced down at Naruto before offering him his hand.

"Perhaps we should take a break from your training until that's healed," he stated. "Being struck by chakra in its purest form can be more dangerous than using mere techniques." Naruto nodded, and allowed himself to be pulled up to his feet.

"I won't lie when I say that hurt," he stated, glancing down at the blood seeping from his leg. "Perhaps I should get this seen to?" he asked. Kurama frowned for a moment before nodding in assent.

"That would be wise. Although you heal far faster than a normal human, there are still risks of infection or too much blood loss." He glanced down at the injury. "Maybe I should have not used that move on you just yet." Naruto shook his head as his arm was slung across the redhead's shoulders.

"It's not your fault – I should have been ready for anything." Kurama gave no response, but Naruto could still tell that he still blamed himself even if only a little. The blonde quickly recalled his two katana into the scrolls, and slipped them into their respective places.

Helped by Kurama, he limped in the direction of the hospital. He didn't know how he'd dodge if Sakura attempted to punch him again...he hoped she didn't. If she could knock down trees with ease, he didn't want to chance his bones on her anger.

In a shorter time than he had expected, they were at the hospital. Kurama opened the door with his free hand and led Naruto into the building. Naruto spotted the pink-haired kunoichi exiting one of the rooms, and braced himself. She was fairly unpredictable.

She caught sight of them as well, and her eyes narrowed. As she stepped towards them, Naruto tensed, before relaxing. She could hit him after she patched him up, right? Hopefully. Either that, or she wouldn't punch him because Kurama was here...

"Idiot! What do you think you were doing?" she snapped, glancing at his leg, seeing to completely ignore the redhead that was supporting him. He shrugged indifferently, and shot a side glance at his mentor, who made no move to speak.

"I was injured while sparring. Do you think you can fix this for me, Sakura-chan?" he questioned. She sighed, and rolled her eyes before grabbing his unoccupied arm, and pulling him away from Kurama. She began to tug him into a room.

Naruto frowned, and called Kurama out of the kage bunshin and back into his body. The clone behind him dissipated, and he followed Sakura, limping as quickly as his injury would allow him so he would not fall over.

He was pulled into a room, and forced onto a chair before she began to close the wound on his leg. He glanced down at her as she began her work, wondering what he should expect now. He let out a small breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, but didn't speak.

"You were training?"

"Yes." Oh. Perhaps the interrogation was to be expected after all.

"With who?"

"A close friend." He could see the frown on her features deepen slightly as she glanced up at him.

"Might this 'friend' have been the same one that brought you here?" He frowned.

"Yes."

"Who is he, Naruto?" she questioned.

By now the wound had stopped bleeding. She applied some sort of ointment to the still open injury, and he hissed slightly at the stinging sensation, but otherwise voiced no complaint against it. The sooner this was healed, the sooner he could get back to a new arc of his training.

"He prefers to keep his identity a secret," Naruto replied tersely. Sakura frowned, and began to wrap bandages around his leg.

"One more thing, but I don't think you'll answer that as well." He nodded, motioning for her to go on. After she had secured the banadages, she stood on her feet, and stared down at him. Her hand lifted, and she pointed at his forehead. "What is that?"

Naruto sighed. She knew he wasn't going to answer that, so why bother asking. Standing up himself, he tested the weight against his injured leg, pleased to find that the pain had reduced to a slight throb. He placed experimental weight on it.

"It's a gift." He began to walk around, his limp not half as heavy as it had previously been. He nodded in her direction. "Thanks, Sakura-chan – I appreciate it," he stated, before making to head out of the door.

She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him, slight confusion in her eyes. She sighed, and followed in his wake. She really did need to speak with Tsunade. Or maybe she could catch that man – he had brought Naruto here, so he was probably waiting for him, right?

Naruto walked out of the hospital without a second thought, before his hand drifted back up to his forehead. So he was gradually discovering the abilities behind the jewel. It seemed like his training was not yet over after all.

Slowly, he began to walk for his apartment complex. He had nowhere else to be at the moment, so why not? Keeping his eyes fixed before him, he allowed his steps to speed up slightly, but not by much – he knew better than to place unneeded stress on his leg.

So according to Kurama, attacks made from pure chakra could be more effective than attacks based on chakra...but could didn't necessary mean that true in all cases, that was definite. Naruto huffed slightly in amusement.

He wondered what this new era of training would mean. More techniques, or more lectures. Whatever the case, he didn't mind either. When he used a technique, he liked to know the full explanation behind it rather than blindly using it without knowing it inside and out.

The knowledge he had gained about the techniques he had learned had also made him somewhat of an immediate strategist. He could know what technique would best follow another, and which could be used to counter what or what was an overkill or underestimation in certain situations. In doing so, it also gave him the ability to preserve as much of his chakra as he could.

He had been told many times that knowledge equalled power, but he could disagree. Knowledge without understanding and wisdom was merely just that – knowledge. If one understood that knowledge and had the wisdom to put it to use when necessary, that was power.

Instead of jumping to the door of his complex, he decided to walk up the stairs instead. It was a troublesome affair, but if it meant he would heal faster, then he was all for it. He began his ascent. He hadn't really noticed how long it would actually take to get to his flat if he took the stairs. He normally opted for simply jumping to his door.

After what seemed like forever, he made it to the door. Opening it, he stepped in, before locking it behind him. He didn't bother to take his shoes off – he had a feeling he'd be outside again soon enough, so there really wasn't much point.

Heading to the bedroom, he let out a sigh as he sat down on the bed. He allowed himself to fall onto his back, and winced slightly. He'd hit the ground fairly hard when Kurama had knocked him down from midair. That left him rather, sore, not that he'd admit it, of course.

He sat there for a moment, holding his breath to grow accustomed to the feeling, before releasing the air within his lung in a rather harsh breath. A wry smile curved onto his lips. Even if he had only stopped training for a few days, it really did feel like his blade was growing dull.

That only meant he'd have to train more. If he couldn't protect what he had trained all these years to protect, then what use was he? He wanted only to prove that he was of use. He wanted the villagers to know that he was more than what was sealed in him.

Breathing out in slight frustration, he sat up and grabbed his hitai-ate from the windowsill. He ran his finger along Konoha's symbol before stopping at the hole that was bored through the metal by unadulterated chakra.

He'd have to learn how to rein in and control this sort of power...if he wanted to be able to use it, he'd have to learn how to tame it first, otherwise it could be just as dangerous to him and his friends as it could be to his enemies. That was the last thing he wanted.

He then recalled Konan's words, and his gaze softened slightly. But he'd have to remember that he still couldn't do everything alone. Even if he had the power he'd wished for, he still needed the people around him. If he didn't keep that in mind, then his strength would get to his head, and that was never a good thing.

He set the hitai-ate back on the windowsill, before staring out the window at the village, a slight smile in his eyes. After all, his friends were also the people that helped fuel his ambition, and he didn't want to forget about them any time soon.

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That was a pretty tame chapter...I think. More of an overview of Yin and Yang than anything, but then again, the next chapter may have a further overview~ It's summertime, so what do you guys say to ice cream? (No this does not apply to any of you that are lactose intolerant)


	8. Chapter 7

First of all, let me sincerely express how sorry I am for not uploading yesterday...I'm reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreally sorry about that. Really. I just got back on schedule after a really busy day, so I will upload this now. So now...reviews.

darkfox2357: Thanks for the compliment~ I'm sorry I did make you wait this time around, though :'(

Xendrax: Wow~ reviews like that are the gasoline that keeps my car running ;) Thank you so much for being patient for this chapter. Also, I'm glad my Kurama-sensei fits your expectations~ His voice _does_ sound amazing in the Japanese version! I watch with subs too. I have no problem with Engllish dub, I just like Japanese dub better.

Naruto's injured from his previous training/spar session with Kurama. He's taken a break, but how long will it last? Someone's come to visit a little earlier than he expected, but he doesn't seem to mind. All he can do is pray for the village's safety... Introduction to Seiatsu (finally!) and Naruto's affiliation with the Akatsuki.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I think I've made it clear that I don't own Naruto. I do however, own my mind, and that throws the characters into their own personal hell~

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That I May Protect

Chapter 7: Don't Chase Him

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"Naruto!"

The blonde blinked, and looked around.

"Naruto! Are you deaf, un?" He recognized that voice... Naruto snapped out of his half-conscious haze, and glanced out of the window at the ground below. A small smile curved onto his face, and he jumped down to stand alongside the blonde.

"I'm glad you at least took some measures in terms of trying to hide," he stated. The blonde had, in fact, not attempted a henge at all. He did look a little tired for the wear however, but then again, it might have been due to the fact that he had arrived far earlier than what was expected of him.

At least he had lost the cloak. It was rare that Naruto ever saw any of the Akatsuki without their cloaks when they left the hideout. Naruto glanced around, before beginning to walk, motioning for the Iwa missing-nin to follow him.

"For your own sake I hope no one recognizes you right off," he added, glancing once more at the blonde. Deidara shrugged. To be honest, Naruto would rather look at a familiar face than a henge even if he knew it would still be Deidara. Naruto frowned. "I forgot to ask Pein-sama...if you're here, then who's paired with Sasori-san for the time being?" he questioned.

"Tobi, un." Deidara replied dismissively, a smirk on his features. Naruto blinked, before his eyes narrowed slightly. He stopped walking and turned to look at the missing-nin.

"And where are they dispatched for?" he asked. The blonde glanced at him before continuing to walk, urging Naruto to follow lest he lose sight of the artist.

"Tobi's only there to cover Sasori-no-Danna's back, un. Sasori-no-Danna worked with Orochimaru before, so he should have the best idea of where he should be hiding. The rest are sent across the great nations as back-up or just in case there's more than one connected hideout, un."

Naruto nodded slowly, his posture relaxing visibly at the blonde's words. He continued to walk, but still made conversation with the sculptor. "I was expecting you tomorrow morning," he stated, a hint of question in his words.

"I was actually sent out not long after you, un. This was actually planned by Leader-sama quite a while before – he was just waiting for you to return to Konoha. It did take me longer than you though because this time I travelled by foot – I'm sure I'd be recognized immediately if I flew, un."

Naruto huffed softly, his eyes dropping to the ground for a moment as he continued to walk. "You must be exhausted then. It takes at the least two days to travel here from there, and that's without breaks." The Iwa-nin shook his head dismissively.

"Please. I've got more adrenaline in me than most in the Akatsuki, un." Naruto chuckled slightly.

"I'm still a little lost as for how you managed to enter the village without being noticed. Your name is one of the many in our bingo books, you know. If you didn't use a henge, you'd be easily recognizable." He paused, and turned to glance at the blonde. "You didn't..." Deidara grinned.

"You don't have enough faith in me, Naruto, un. Of course I didn't. I'd be recognized even faster if I did. I was using a henge, un. I only dispelled it once I arrived at your place. If you want to know how I knew where you lived, I know your chakra signature, even if you hide it, un. I've been around you long enough."

Naruto's mouth opened in a silent 'ah'. He nodded slowly, before glancing at his destination. He was going to the Hokage tower a lot lately, but that was only because the things he needed to speak with Tsunade were not matters that could be put off lightly.

"Deidara, we're going to speak with Tsunade-sama. I'm sure she'll want to hear the reason behind why I have a connection with all of you. That is, unless she figured it out already. Try not to anger her, all right? I won't speak if you break any of your bones." He joked dryly. Deidara rolled his eyes, and raised his hand, which stuck its tongue playfully out at the blonde.

"You have a terrible sense of humour, un. I think you've been spending to much time with Kisame." Naruto rolled his eyes, and made no response. While the Kirigakure missing-nin did have a terrible sense of humour, Naruto didn't get to spend much time with him, so that was out of the question entirely, and he was sure Deidara knew it as well.

"And please, Deidara, don't blow anything up while you're here unless you have permission," Naruto added. The missing-nin frowned, and turned to Naruto flicking his cheek teasingly.

"You really don't have enough faith in me, Naruto, un. I can sculpt things that don't explode as well. If I couldn't, then your face wouldn't be intact at the moment, un." He stated in a matter-of-factly tone. Naruto blinked. He did have a point.

"All right then. I'll hold you to your word on this one. But if you do harm this village in any way..." his voice drifted off warningly, and his eyes darkened in tone before returning to their normal brightness. Deidara nodded.

"I know, but Naruto, what's with you, un? You're more distant than you were a few days ago, un." The Uzumaki blinked.

"Really? I didn't notice anything...sorry about that," he apologized. They finally made it to the tower, and Naruto motioned to his side. Deidara stepped up beside him, and they began their ascent, once within the building, Naruto ignoring all the looks thrown at the pair.

Naruto could tell that Deidara was slightly uncomfortable with all the looks. He could understand. The Akatsuki were not a group used to domesticated life. They were all supposedly criminals and hunted down. To be forced to act so tame while in a village was no easy feat.

They were used to causing conflict, so acting like a normal citizen like this was doubtless something unusual for them. The fact that their slates weren't clean didn't help the situation either. They couldn't trust that there weren't any people who would try to kill them.

Naruto intruded the office once more only to find just the people he didn't want to run into yet. His eyes widened slightly as they turned to stare at the pair. Naruto caught the narrowing of eyes from one, and the outraged widening of another.

Couldn't his old teammates leave him alone for the time being? He knew that they were most likely worried about him, and he was truly thankful for that, but there were some things that he just had to hide. Things that were too dangerous to be common knowledge.

"You!"

He caught Deidara's eyes narrow in the direction of his pink-haired teammate. He gazed over at Tsunade, whose eyes were also narrowed. He bit his lip, and hoped that she would understand that he didn't want anyone else there.

"Sakura, Sasuke." The two turned in face her.

"Tsunade-sama?" The blonde-haired woman stared at them for a moment before sighing.

"Both of you. Leave now. We will speak later." Sasuke's frown turned into something of a scowl, but he left immediately. Sakura was a little more hesitant, but she soon followed in his wake.

"Naruto, I expect an explanation," she hissed as she passed him. He knew she was more worried or even fearful than she was angry, but that didn't stop his body from instinctively tensing as she left.

"Now. I expect that you have a reason for this." Naruto nodded.

"You know I would not do anything without reason, Tsunade-sama," he replied. The smirk that appeared briefly on her face told him that she could give him a second opinion. Thankfully, she didn't counter his words.

"Well then. Deidara, I believe?" The Iwa nin nodded, but did not bother with a bow or anything of the like. Naruto knew that most all of the Akatsuki save Itachi were not prone to extreme politeness. Perhaps Konan, but those two the only ones.

"Un. I don't know whether it is to your knowledge or not, but Naruto has been in contact with us for at least twelve years now, un." Naruto noted the raised eyebrow. "Don't misunderstand, Hokage-sama. Not once has he betrayed Konoha, un," Deidara defended.

Tsunade's eyes drifted over to the Uzumaki. "Pray tell why you didn't let me know of this sooner, Naruto," she stated calmly. He blinked slowly, before sighing.

"There was no guarantee that it would be taken well or understood in the first place. Being branded a traitor by this village is not something I take lightly. But I will say that I thought you had an idea when I handed you that scroll." She frowned.

"The ribbon, wasn't it? I had suspicions, but I was skeptical about it," she replied. Her eyes narrowed. "But just because they would give me this information doesn't mean I trust them." Naruto frowned, but didn't respond.

"Duly noted, un," Deidara finally broke in. "But I've been stationed with Naruto and unfortunately can't leave any time soon. I won't cause any trouble, un. I've also been sent here to convey more information about Seiatsu, un," he continued.

"Go on," she urged. Naruto nodded in agreement.

"The goal of Seiatsu is not to attain the bijuu themselves, but their inhuman reserves of chakra, un. The group is led by someone I'm sure you know very well, Hokage-sama. Does 'Orochimaru' sound familiar, un?" He paused, and her eyes narrowed further.

"Orochimaru, huh? He's the one behind this? That would explain a lot." Deidara nodded.

"Orochimaru has created the group 'Seiatsu', and they are dedicated solely to this task, un. In giving that name, it's obvious that he wants to gain total control. The Akatsuki have, sealed within the Gedo statue, eight of the nine bijuu, un. I'm sure you know where the ninth is." He cast a side glance at Naruto. Naruto merely nodded, and turned to face Tsunade.

"If you have had Naruto in contact for so long, then why not extract Kurama from him?" Tsunade questioned. Deidara laughed slightly.

"Naruto is truly a person capable of miracles, un," he stated. "Our cause has been twisted for so long, but somehow he managed to return it to what it once was when there were only three members that belonged to the Akatsuki." Naruto's lips curved up slightly.

"You flatter me," he broke in. Deidara shook his head.

"No – it's true. Our cause wasn't much of a cause at all until now, un." Naruto's eyes lowered to the ground. "Naruto has been one of our greatest allies, and all of us will even go as far to accept him as family, un," Deidara confidently told her. A slow smirk spread over her lips.

"Naruto does have that certain gift, doesn't he?" she stated. Deidara nodded, his grin evident. It soon faded, however.

"He does, un. What he's don'e is a real miracle for all of us, I'm sure. But I'm not hear to talk about Naruto, un. I've come to tell you more about Seiatsu, and also as a partner to Naruto for this station, un. The rest of our group has been sent out across the other five great nations." He paused.

"You already know of the approach Seiatsu has taken with their goal. Orochimaru has conducted many experiments to safely gain for himself the chakra of the bijuu, un. We do not know exactly what he is trying to create at the moment, be it a drug or a poison or whatnot, un. My other partner, Sasori-no-Danna once worked with Orochimaru when he was part of the Akatsuki, so Leader-sama sent him to directly find and investigate the main laboratory, wherever it's situated, un."

Tsunade frowned into her folded hands and stared at the blonde Akatsuki member. What he spoke seemed to be the truth, and Naruto trusted him, so she supposed it couldn't hurt to listen to his words. Not even the Akatsuki would lie about something so serious.

"I'll pay heed this time around," she stated. "But I will not assign any guards until this is confirmed. For the time being, I will ask Naruto to keep you in check. While you are within this village, you may not detonate anything. Killing is also against the regulations. Training and amicable spars however, are permitted." Both blondes nodded in understanding.

"Speaking of which, there's a favour I want to ask of you, Tsunade-sama," Naruto spoke up. She nodded for him to go on. "About training, is it possible that there is a place where I can train without being disturbed or watched?" he questioned. "You see, Kurama-sama wants to teach me about a few things that I discovered," he motioned briefly to his forehead, hoping she'd understand, "and the problem is that the destructive chakra it can conjure is bound to draw attention."

She nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. After a moment's thought, she sighed. "I will assign Training Ground Seven out of limits, and you may use that. If anyone does disrupt your training, you have my permission to erect a barrier." She breathed out slowly. "That's most all I can do if you do not want anyone witnessing your training without your permission." Naruto nodded.

"For now, there are three people that do have permission," he stated. A cocked eyebrow was the response received. He gazed at her. "You, Deidara, and Neji." Her already raised eyebrow raised itself further.

"Neji?" Naruto shrugged slightly.

"He was able to discover it. There's not much I can hide from him apart from the details. If he wants to train against me, he can do that as well." She chuckled after she got over her initail surprise.

"The eyes of the Hyuuga can foil many plans, can't they?" she said. He shrugged indifferently. She sighed. "All right then. I have a feeling Deidara already knows from his reaction to when you spoke of training, so I wish to ask you more about that. Specifically..." she paused. "Please leave," she called. The ANBU guarding the office, bowed before leaving the room. "Specifically the Hakaigan, and that technique you used on Kakashi."

Naruto nodded, pulling a chair from the corner, and sitting down on it, one leg crossed over the other, and his arms crossed over his chest. Deidara mimicked the movement, grabbing a chair, and sitting down with both feet planted on the ground and his hands on his lap.

"Now then."

"Wait a moment." Naruto called before she could speak any further. He formed a shadow clone, and his mentor appeared within it in no time. Kurama too pulled a chair over, and sat beside the Uzumaki, his posture a little more dignified than the other two beside him. Tsunade chuckled.

"One would think that you would grow tired of being called out so often, Kurama-sama," she stated. He stared at her for a moment, before shaking his head.

"The opposite, actually. During Naruto's years of training, I have been in this form for years. The first time he recalled me into his body was before he returned to Konoha. The only reason why I do not keep this form here, is that surrounded by these...people..." he almost growled at that, "I do not feel comfortable."

She nodded in understanding. These were the descendants of the people that had killed his family, and ridiculed his vessel. It was no doubt that he did not want to grace the village with his true presence, and she couldn't justly blame him for it either.

"Ah." He relaxed slightly, and sighed, his pupils growing a little more relaxed. They were still slitted, but that was only normal.

"But I would be lying if I said I do not value the freedom this gives me, even if not what I wanted. The seal of the Yondaime still binds me to the child." He motioned to said seal branded upon his chest. She nodded.

"From Naruto's words, I can assume he learned the Heaven Style from you?" she asked. The demon lord nodded.

"Of course. Its techniques cannot be learned by all due to their complexity, and the immense amount of chakra used to execute them. To add to that, only the Council of Nine have access to the forbidden archives that give them access to the only records of these techniques left." Kurama gazed at her silently for a moment before closing his eyes. A moment later, he opened them. "And I forbid any record of this information. What is not common knowledge among all demons should never be common knowledge or even knowledge at all to humans." She nodded.

"That is understandable, and will be heeded to. But what I wish to ask, is why this secret style would be taught to Naruto," she stated. Kurama's pupils narrowed.

"Do not judge my decisions," he stated calmly. "Naruto, for one thing, has the capability to execute these techniques. A demon can sense the purity of a soul, and never have I encountered one that managed to maintain purity for this long. I can trust that Naruto will not use this for any evil cause." He sighed. "Also, the Hakaigan is in possession of Naruto. That too qualifies him for being trustworthy in this, although I did teach him the techniques before granting him the Hakaigan."

"...all right. Your knowledge is beyond mine, so I suppose I don't have right to say anything against this. Not that I have much to say against it anyway. I agree with you when you said that Naruto would never use it for an evil cause. He is not that sort of person," Tsunade agreed. "But, with your assent, explain to me the specific technique that Naruto used on Kakashi," she stated.

Kurama glanced over at Naruto, before a slow smirk spread onto his face. "Well, kit? Let's test your knowledge. I want you to explain to her the dynamics of that specific technique," Kurama stated. The blonde nodded, before turning to Tsunade.

"The Eye of Judgement technique is genjutsu based. It can cover a fair area, meaning whoever is trapped within it, apart from the one casting it, will immediately be placed under a genjutsu. The Eye of Judgement is actually a rather cruel jutsu to use. Those under its effects will be immediately brought back to the deaths of loved ones and all their harshest regrets.

"It is called judgement, because it targets the mistakes which caused an extreme emotional wreckage on the person. The only one capable of releasing the genjutsu is the one who executed the technique. It, in its full power is even more powerful than Tsukuyomi.

"However, just like every jutsu, it has its weaknesses. For one thing, if they are able to escape contact the light, which is actually easier said than done, then they will be considered safe from the genjutsu. Also, those who have given their lives to purely hatred, will not much be affected by it, as they have no regrets for all the things they've done." Naruto paused for a moment.

"The Eye of Judgement was used mainly on criminals back in the demon realm. If they did deserve another chance – not without punishment, mind you – then they would wake from the genjutsu with a different aura about them. If they deserved death or imprisonment, they would still have that aura of hatred about them."

Naruto silenced himself, waiting for Tsunade to absorb all the information that had been given to her. He glanced over at Kurama who had a slight tinge of pride within his eyes as he nodded his approval. His gaze then drifted over to Deidara, who had slight awe in his eyes.

Naruto attempted a small smile for his sake, and it was soon replicated with a grin from the Iwa missing-nin. He relaxed, and turned his gaze back to the Godaime Hokage, who was frowning, He was beginning to wonder if telling her had really been the right thing.

"Naruto?" she called. He nodded. She sighed. "There is one thing I ask of you." He nodded for her to go on. "Please keep all your sparring attacks ninjutsu or taijutsu based," she stated. "Genjutsu attacks like such are to be reserved for the people that deserve to have that."

He nodded, bowing his head slightly. He knew he had made a mistake of casting it back then, but it wasn't like he could take back his move. Fortunately, he had been able to wake the jounin. He hoped nothing too scarring had taken place in the scarecrow shinobi's mind. Naruto knew that his life had not been an easy one either.

"Understood, Tsunade-sama. Rest assured that I will not use any genjutsu based attacks unless appropriate to do so." She nodded, satisfied. Unclasping her hands, she lowered her arms flat upon her desk, and watched him.

"Now, you did speak of Hakaigan techniques," she prompted. He nodded, and glanced over at Kurama, hoping his mentor would explain for him. He had only discovered them that day – he was not yet experienced enough and did not know enough to be able to explain them to her.

"Indeed. Although I did mention the abilities it grants its bearer differing for all its bearers, so far, what Naruto has managed to awaken are all abilities that I have as well." He paused. "One of them is raw chakra from all the immediate natures, including shadow and light. This grants more power if techniques from a nature that one was not born with are cast." She blinked.

"So this means..." He nodded.

"I assume you've heard of Kekkei Genkai, Kekkei Tota, and Kekkei Mora?" she questioned. Tsunade nodded.

"Kekkei Genkai users are advanced, but Kekkei Tota users are rarer. Kekkei Mora, however, is supposed to be a thing of legends." Kurama smirked.

"If he puts his mind to it, Naruto can create his own Kekkei Genkai. Even ones that have never been heard of if the ratio of one nature combined with another differs slightly to what he wishes. Kekkei Tota should not be too hard for him to execute either, and I will tell you why. Because he has already managed to control Kekkei Mora." Tsunade's eyes widened.

"He..." Kurama nodded, the smirk slipping back into a serious expression.

"Naruto has put his training from the previous years, as well as the will that his friends gave to him into his works now. Let me tell you now. If it weren't for the people within this village and this village itself that has given him the motivation to protect, he would not have been able to do this."

"Legends have always been born of something true, un," Deidara broke in, grinning at Naruto. Naruto's lips twitched upwards slightly.

"Another technique that Naruto has managed to awaken, are the representatives of the nature of the celestial sphere and the nature of the netherworld." Kurama huffed slightly in amusement. "Another thing of legends, and perhaps unheard of with humans.

"The natures of the celestial sphere and the netherworld are the balance of each other. Conventionally, they take the shape of two glaives constructed from pure raw chakra of each mysterious nature. The glaive of the celestial sphere has been named Yang, and the glaive of the netherworld has been dubbed Yin.

"As I previously said, they are the balance of each other, which is why I have told Naruto. It is easier to master both simultaneously rather than one at a time. I will tell you why. Yin and Yang are a balance for each other's power. Alone, they are extremely powerful, but that makes the risk of using one alone more evident.

"If one's will and heart is not strong enough to defy, then Yin will take the darkness within the heart, and turn it against oneself. However, if one is able to master Yin alone, then it will be a weapon of extreme power. However, if one does not have a clear goal or task, one should not try to master Yang. Yang will destroy one's vision until one does not have a reason for existence. But like Yin, alone it sports immense power. Yin and Yang are each other's balance, so one is at less risk if both are used together." Tsunade listened, before sighing.

"Kurama-sama, you have a very special child in your care. Teach him well," she stated calmly.

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This chapter was basically one big conversation/explanation thing. I have no idea what was going through my mind when I wrote this. Oh, and don't misunderstand~ I actually think Orochimaru is a pretty cool character. A little messed up, but still pretty cool. So~ will give cake for reviews! (PS If anyone says the cake is a lie, that's not true~)


	9. Chapter 8

Hello everyone~ It's a new chapter, and I have no comments on this part of the story, so let's go on!

Deidara's here. So far, the village is safe, and that's a good thing. Now all that's left is explaining to the Rookie 9 why a member of the Akatsuki is wandering freely around Konoha. That should be easy enough~ Back to training for injured Naruto, and Neji finding out some things that he discovers he doesn't want to know.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I disclaim Naruto. So if anyone dies here, I'm not responsible~

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That I May Protect

Chapter 8: Put to Use

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Silence reigned in the office for a few moments before Naruto broke in.

"Is there anything else you want to know, Tsunade-sama?" he questioned. The quicker they went over this, the better. He had a feeling that the sculptor was restraining himself. Sighing, he shot a side glance at the pyromaniac. "If not, then I'll head to training ground seven, and let Deidara...- _ahem-_ blow some shit up, un."

The long-haired blonde looked a little embarrassed at this, and laughed slightly. Tsunade smirked, as did Kurama. She huffed in amusement.

"All right. But I will have to ask that you restrict it to the training grounds only, if you really are that incorrigible when it comes to your work." A small smirk crawled onto Naruto's features as well.

"Oh, he is, Tsunade-sama. He is." The Hokage laughed in amusement, while Deidara looked rather sheepish. Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he nudged the long-haired blonde. "But you're limiting it to the training ground only. I'm not going to explain the destruction of the village to anyone, understood?" Deidara grinned.

"Oh, you know you will, Naru, un," he teased. The Uzumaki sighed, and turned to Tsunade.

"Do we have permission to leave?" he questioned. She nodded, and waved him off. He stood, bowed, and turned to leave the room, dispelling Kurama on the way. Deidara follwed him out after a short bow of his own.

Naruto chuckled slightly as he descended the steps of the Hokage tower, once again paying no mind to all the stares received. If they could not help but stare, then they could stare for all he cared. He closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them once more.

"Say, Naruto, when did you get injured, un?" Deidara questioned. Naruto gazed at him for a moment, puzzled, before his eyes drifted down to his leg. His mouth opened slightly. He had forgotten about that being there, which was rather strange as he had just gotten it seen to not long before.

"Ah...I was training earlier, and Kurama attacked me with his Yang," he stated. "Sakura-chan patched me up earlier. I didn't really notice it until you pointed it out, to be honest," he replied easily. He exited the Hokage tower, and began to walk.

No less than a few metres away, he found himself surrounded by the Rookie Nine and Neji. Naruto was beginning to wonder where the rest of Team Gai was. He had seen them the first day he had arrived, but ever since then, he hadn't. He inwardly chuckled. Lee had probably convinced Tenten to train with him.

Sakura and Ino stepped forward from the rest of the group, arms crossed over their chests and an annoyed expression on their faces. He sighed. Wonderful – not this again! What part of him screamed, ' I'm hiding something so go ahead and try to get it out of me'?

He stopped walking, as did Deidara. His eyes drifted over his friends, and he caught Neji's eyes narrow. He had forgotten that the Hyuuga had been there when Konoha had sent off a few squads to rescue Gaara. He had a lot of explaining to do...but he couldn't, because that information was not something free for all to know.

"All right, Naruto! Stop running away from us, and tell us right now what's going on!" Ino demanded. Sakura nodded, before pointing an accusing finger at the Iwa missing-nin.

"And what is _he_ doing here?" Naruto frowned as he heard a comment from a certain dogboy that followed along the lines of, "That's a _boy?_ " He could practically feel Deidara seething beside him, and that wasn't a good thing.

He raised a hand, and laid it on the Akatsuki arsonist's shoulder. Deidara turned to look at him, before sighing, and standing with one hand on a hip, and an eyebrow raised.

"Do you want to know what I think of that comment, un?" he questioned, none too amicably. Naruto hid amusement behind his eyes as Kiba's shocked expression grew even more shocked. It wasn't much of a surprise, really. Deidara's voice was, in his opinon, a rich baritone – something that was obviously not the voice of a girl. He sighed, and stepped forward slightly.

"Don't strike him, Sakura-chan. He's done nothing here that merits it. As a matter of fact, we just visited Hokage-sama, so she knows as well. He has permission to be here, and will not harm the village or any of its inhabitants."

Sakura still refused to step down, although her finger was lowered. However, her hands, which hung at her sides, were still clenched into fists. "Are you trying to tell me that Tsunade-sama is letting one of the Akatsuki into the village without a second thought?" she hissed.

"No. In fact, Tsunade-sama had her own misgivings about this as well. However, he has been put under regulations and is under my watch. Seeing that this is the case, I forbid any of you from hurting him unless he does anything to deserve it." Sasuke scowled.

"It sounds like you're siding with him, dobe. He's the enemy. It's his group that wants that thing in you." Naruto tensed, before his eyes closed. Deidara could sense the restlessness within him, as proven with the hand that landed upon his shoulder this time around. Naruto's eyes opened to a vibrant shade of purple, and he glared at the Uchiha.

"One. I am siding with him. Two. He's not the enemy, and you have no right to call him as such. Three. His group does not want the thing in me, and he is not a thing! Do not ever let me catch you treating Kurama-sama with such disrespect."

The Uchiha merely snorted. "Disrespect? That's a good one coming from you, dobe." Naruto closed his eyes once more, and calmed himself down. He sighed and opened his eyes once more. By now they had returned to normal.

"I...need to go, now," he stated. Ino frowned.

"Answer us first," she demanded once again. Naruto sighed. He knew they were all probably worried about him and his eccentric behaviour, but he still couldn't tell them – not until Tsunade or Pein gave him permission to do so.

"Listen. If you want your information, then get it out of Tsunade-sama. I'm not at liberty to tell."

"But-"

"Let him leave." Naruto glanced over at the Hyuuga branch member in slight surprise. Neji didn't even spare him a glance. "He's right. If it really is something important, then only Hokage-sama has the right to tell us." They turned to face him.

"Neji-!" He shook his head firmly.

"Is this any way to treat a friend who has returned after being away from the village for so long for the village's own sake? If you think it is, then go ahead," he challenged. The Hyuuga heiress nodded in agreement, and stepped up to him.

"I agree with Neji-niisan," she stated.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, but he made no comment, and Choji didn't look too perturbed. Neither of them had wanted to do this, but had been dragged over by their teammate, so they didn't mind. Shino just stood to the side quietly. Kiba and the two kunoichi on the other hand looked rather guilty. Sasuke, however, seemed just as annoyed as he was before.

Naruto breathed out, and glanced over at Deidara before jerking his neck forward. He began to walk, and was followed by the Akatsuki member. The group watched them go before dispersing to their own way. Neji remained staring after the two blondes.

Naruto shook his head slowly, and glanced back over his shoulder. "Sorry about that, Deidara. Ever since I arrived, they've been trying to get information out of me. You know as well as I do that I can't tell them, but that doesn't stop them from trying." Deidara shrugged.

"Annoying bunch, aren't they, un?" he ventured. Naruto shook his head.

"Not at all. I spent enough time around them to know that they are all good friends. They're probably only doing this because they're worried about me. I know I act a little different than when I was last here, so I'm not too surprised."

The two continued to walk along, before Deidara spoke up once again. "Where are we headed off to anyway, un?" The smallest of smirks crawled onto Naruto's face.

"I should be healed enough to move around now. I'm going to ask Kurama to train me again. Since I have the training ground to myself and select few, I shouldn't be disturbed this time. Would you like to train with me?" The Iwa-nin grinned.

"Do you need to ask?"

"Come on then."

Naruto broke into a lazy run, and Deidara followed close beside. The Uzumaki allowed a small smile to slip onto his face. His friends were all nice, but everything just felt so much better when he was around someone that he considered truly close.

As a matter of fact, it would be considered strange that he would even think of such a thing when referring to the Akatsuki, but it was true. They had accepted him for who he was long before the village had, and he couldn't help but be grateful.

Perhaps another reason was that they never took any advantage of him. Of course, he wouldn't do it if it went against his morals, or if he thought it wasn't something worth doing, but they didn't tell him to do everything for them. If they did tell him to do something, it was all for good.

He chuckled at the thought, and skidded to a stop as they reached the training ground. Deidara slowed to a stop beside him, and surveyed his surroundings. He sighed.

"There's not much left here in the first place, un. It's a clearing." Naruto shrugged.

"I know you're a long range fighter, but perhaps it's also good for you to brush up on your close range fighting as well. You're not going suicidal every time you're caught at close range, all right?" he stated. The Iwa-nin pouted slightly.

"You know you're no fun, un," Naruto shrugged once more.

"As a shinobi, you can have things you specialize in, but you must still be well rounded, or your weaknesses are going to get you killed."

"He's right." Naruto glanced over just as Neji jumped out off the limb of a nearby tree. He raised an eyebrow in question, and the Hyuuga stared at him for a moment before sighing. "I had a small talk with Hokage-sama, and she told me about this arrangement. I thought I'd go see for myself."

Naruto nodded in understanding. Tsunade knew what she was doing, so who was he to question? Deidara's gaze drifted over to the Hyuuga, and he blinked.

"You?" Neji frowned.

"Problem?" Deidara shook his head.

"Not at all, un." The Hyuuga nodded. Naruto glanced from one to the other.

"Why don't you train with Neji, Deidara?" he suggested. "That way, I can train elsewhere." The two nodded, and Naruto began to walk away, summoning a kage bunshin. He moved a good distance away so that the pair could have their own room, before glancing at his sensei.

"Kurama-sama, about the risks of Yin and Yang..." The demon lord nodded.

"I know. Why do you think I countered your Yin with my Yang? Even if fighting against each other, the two still maintain a balance. I suspect that your summon of Yin before Yang is due to the fact that your will is stronger than your vision at the moment. I have no doubt that you will be able to master one at a time, but for your safety, I'd suggest we learn both simultaneously first."

Naruto nodded in understanding. That did make sense. Besides – if there were any risks that he could succumb to, he didn't want to do so just yet. At least if he had experience with both, that might make his mastery of one at a time a little easier.

"That sounds reasonable," he replied. Kurama's hands drifted to his Hakaigan, and he pulled from it, two rods of chakra, one black, one white. They soon solidified into the glaives that Naruto was now familiar with. He drew out his own, and waited for further words.

"We will begin with typical bukijutsu before going into chakra attacks such as the one that injured you earlier," Kurama stated. "The initial solidified weapons are rather special in the way in which bojutsu, kenjutsu, and even shurikenjutsu can be performed with them." Naruto glanced at the two glaives in his hands.

"Isn't it normally easier to use one at a time, though?" he questioned thoughtfully. Kurama frowned, and his eyes narrowed.

"I thought I told you not to ask meaningless questions. These are not ordinary weapons! While it is true, when relying on bukijutsu, one may be easier to wield due to their size, the risk is lessened by learning to use both."

Naruto nodded, and held the weapons at ready as Kurama brandished his own. Naruto waited for his mentor to make the first move so that he could learn how to properly wield the weapons. He was unused to them, so he did not yet know how to properly make use of them.

Kurama ran at him, and raised his Yang. Twisting it into a horizontal position, he swiped it towards the Uzumaki. Without much thought, Naruto raised his own Yang and countered the strike. A flood of chakra erupted from both their weapons, and both of them jumped out of its direction.

Naruto eyed the charred ground warily, and Kurama smirked. "Segment one. Remember the balance. An unstable attack using Kekkei Mora is dangerous to more than your enemy. Now." Kurama ran for him once more, and this time crossed both glaives before him, making to slash at the blonde with the blades.

Naruto frowed, and lifted both his own weapons to block the attack, crossing them over each other and hoping he was doing the right thing. He stood against the impact as blades slashed across staffs. Glancing out, he noted that this time there was no loose chakra, although there were still hints of it flying around like sparks.

He jumped off a small distance away, and eyed his smirking mentor. He returned the smirk, although his was a little more muted.

Kurama once more ran for him, weapons horizontally extended. He noted Yin making a swing for him, and he raised the white glaive. At almost the last minture, Kurama withdrew his Yin, and replaced it with Yang.

His eyes widened slightly, as Naruto realized he would not be able to move back fast enough. He jumped back, just at Kurama's blade struck the ground. This time, however, nothing happened, as the demon lord pulled the weapon out of the ground at record speed, and hurled it in his direction.

He frowned. Balance...if there was an unequal addition of the nature of the celestial sphere in comparison to the netherworld, that would cause imbalance as well, right? Lifting his own Yang, he allowed it to return to the Hakaigan before jumping into the air, and catching the thrown weapon.

"Good thinking, kit," Kurama complimented with a smirk. Naruto grinned back, before tossing the weapon back in his mentor's direction, and pulling out his own once more, holding it at the ready. He thought he had the hang of it now...

He charged for Kurama, and swung Yin at him. A moment later he swung Yang as well, causing Kurama to have to counter both in rapid succesion. He quickly switched to his mentor's blind side, and swung once more with the weapon of black chakra.

As expected Kurama had the inhuman reflexes to immediately whirl around and counter the strike. His Yin began to rotate in his hand until the glaive was nothing more than a circle of black. He then took the chance to throw the twirling weapon at the Uzumaki.

Naruto blinked, before his eyes narrowed and he hurled his Yin in the demon lord's direction. Using both hands, he held the staff of his remaining weapon in both hands as Kurama's Yin slammed forcefully into it, the force causing him to take a few steps back.

Soon, the rotation stopped, and Kurama's Yin fell to the ground. Naruto blinked as he spotted chakra leaking out of it. Immediately, he picked it up, and hurled it at his mentor without a second thought. He caught sight of his original weapon being tossed aside.

He noted that chakra was still leaking out of the glaive he had thrown, but not the one that Kurama had discarded. Running forward, he grabbed it, and held it at the ready as he watched Kurama catch the one that had been thrown.

As soon as it made contact with his sensei, Naruto noted that the leaking chakra was immediately drawn back within the weapon, and solidified. Kurama glanced over at him, and motioned for him to head over.

"Segment two. Stabilizing your weapon. It's all well and good if you managed to master the balance, but if the chakra within the weapons are unstable, you should never ever allow it to drop or hit a hard surface that is not flesh or pure chakra."

Naruto glanced down at his two weapons. Stabilization...he knew of how to stabilize when using more than one type of chakra, but he had fairly good control when it came to one nature alone. But perhaps what was needed to keep the chakra flow of his weapons under control was more than what he already knew.

"The chakra that are these weapons are a part of you, Naruto. Remember that. How well you can control them matters more than you might think. Just imagine that this is the flow of chakra that is actually within yourself – these glaives are a part of your body, not merely weapons. To keep your chakra calm and fluid is the key. Don't act like they are normal weapons – act like they are extensions of your body."

Naruto nodded, and glanced down once again at his weapons. Lifting Yin, he hesitated, before stabbing its apex into the ground. He focused a tiny particle of his attention into keeping its flow steady. Unlike the other times, where chakra had leaked out of a shell cracked from impact, the glaive remained completely intact.

He pulled the blade out of the ground, and held it, glancing at his mentor. He was about to suggest another round of sparring, but he stopped short as a twinge of pain shot through his leg. Sighing, he gazed ruefully at the bandaged limb.

"I guess I'll have to stop for now so that it can be healed properly by tomorrow," he stated Kurama nodded in agreement, before glancing over to the other pair with narrowed eyes.

"That would be best, but you will resume your training tomorrow. I'm confident you can easily master your first lesson. The most difficult part will be wielding two weapons that are the same height as you are with ease – you seem to have a certain aptitude for twin wielding."

Naruto nodded, and bowed slightly, before allowing his two glaives to return to his hakaigan. Kurama mimicked the movements, before glancing over at the long-haired blonde and the Hyuuga once more. He blinked slowly.

"Do you wish to recall me now?" Naruto shrugged.

"I honestly doubt it really matters, Kurama-sama. The Byakugan allows its bearer to see 360 degrees for an abnormally long distance. I won't be surprised if Neji's seen you already."

The demon lord nodded, and began to walk. Naruto followed in his wake, favouring his injured leg, but only slightly. They soon made it to the two combating shinobi, who showed no signs of stopping any time soon.

Naruto could say that he was vaguely impressed with the Iwa missing-nin. Neji specialized in Jyuuken, but Deidara was renown for being a long range fighter. For him to have held his own for so long and still be going strong against the Hyuuga meant that his close-range fighting skills were more than what he was given credit for.

Naruto watched the two. Both were moving at incredible speed, but it was a little more than obvious that Deidara was playing on the defensive to keep his chakra points from being hit and incapacitating him. Naruto's lips curved upwards into a slight dry smile.

"Stop!" his voice rang out clearly, even among the two sparring shinobi. They imediately broke apart, both of them taking in ragged breaths, but the blonde obviously suffering the worse brunt out of them. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"I've got to commend you, Deidara-san. Not many people can stand for so long unless properly trained against a Byakugan," he stated. The Akatsuki member laughed for a moment, before gasping for breath.

"I told you, Naruto, un. I'm the one with the most stamina – don't expect me to go down so easily." His features curved into a mock-frown. "Or are you underestimating me again, un? Just because you can beat me doesn't mean I'm not strong, un." Naruto raised his hands disarmingly.

"I know, I know. How about you, Neji?" The Hyuuga glanced at him, having caught his breath and returning to that dignified pose that he somehow always managed to maintain.

"I must say that I too was somewhat surprised that he was able to hold out for so long." Naruto smirked slightly, before noting the direction the Hyuuga's eyes travelled. "Ah..."

"Neji, this is Kurama-sama. You may know him as the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune." As if out of habit, the Hyuuga bowed. Kurama seemed a little surprised by the action, but did not belie it, and gave a small dip of his head in return.

"I see I truly have played into dangerous ground," the Hyuuga commented, glancing back to the Uzumaki. "Perhaps this is what I deserve for questioning what I had no knowledge of without relent." Naruto blinked, before shrugging.

To be honest, it may as well be the Hyuuga's fault. He didn't exactly want anyone to discover the power behind his Hakaigan, or his relations with the Akatsuki, or even what he had been doing for the past seven years. He supposed he could blame Neji if he wanted, to but he wouldn't. He trusted Neji to keep the information he had discovered confidential. Besides – the Hyuuga didn't know everything yet.

"Hyuuga. What you have been told is something that should not be repeated without the consent of Naruto or I," Kurama stated calmly. Neji merely bowed his head in reponse. Naruto glanced from one to the other.

"I had to put an end to my training today due to an incident earlier," he glanced at his leg. "But if either of you still want to do anything..." Deidara nodded in response, and grinned.

"There is one thing, actually," he sang. Naruto had a feeling he knew what that meant, but made no comment. Instead, he nodded, an unreadable glint within his eyes.

"And what might that be, Deidara?" He questioned. The long-haired blonde chuckled, and raised his hand in the seal of confrontation Naruto blinked, and glanced at Neji.

"Run!" he yelled, before beginning to make distance between himself and the Iwa-nin. Kurama followed behind him at a slower pace.

" _Katsu!"_

Naruto sighed as the force of the explosion sent his hair whirling to the side of his face. Perhaps he should keep clay bombs under regulation, training grounds and permission from the Hokage or not. If the Akatsuki's arsonist was going to make him run with his injury, that may be the more wise of his choices.

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Poor Naruto. I have discovered, that in my writing, I have a habit of putting all of my favourite characters through hell and high water. So...if he thinks this was harsh, it's nothing in comparison to what I have prepared for him. Mwahaha. ;) Please review! I'll give Neji plushies! (it's safer than cavities/diabetes)


	10. Chapter 9

Hey again, and once more thanks for the follows/faves! You guys are the people that motivate me~ Speaking of which, I know I never named a pairing out for this although I clearly said slash, and the genre says romance. Itachi will give dango to anyone who can guess! It's vague, but it's there. Besides, the pairing I want to do is apparently unpopular. I don't know why. I like the pair, so I'll write about them since there is a severe lack of fanfics for them.

Training's over, and they're heading home (after Deidara grabs a bite, of course). Featuring tangled hair, and the claw brush.

 _"Naruto's thoughts"_

 _Kurama's thoughts_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I think it's beginning to own my mind :P

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That I May Protect

Chapter 9: Respite

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Naruto glanced back at the charred wreckage, searching for the blonde pyromaniac and hoping that he hadn't gotten caught within the explosion. While it wouldn't be too hard to run from and avoid, Naruto did not put it past Deidara to be caught within his art and be destroyed along with the landscape. He just hoped he didn't have to explain the missing-nin's death to anyone.

He breathed out a small sigh as the sculptor emerged from the carnage, unscathed. He glanced around the clearing, and spotted Neji standing on the far side of the explosion. He crossed his arms over his chest, and raised an eyebrow.

"All right. No more explosions while within the village unless you have permission. Which, at the moment, you don't," he stated none too gently. The Iwa-nin frowned, but made no argument concerning the matter.

"Fine. Spoilsport, un!" The Uzumaki chuckled lightly.

"For as long as you're under my charge within the village, I have to make sure that you don't destroy it, Deidara." A small smile entered his eyes as he watched the Akatsuki member. He couldn't remember being as comfortable as he was now within the village ever since he returned.

His eyes drifted over to the Hyuuga, who was now back beside them. The brunet breathed out a small sigh of annoyance as his eyes trailed over to Deidara.

"I see that I let my guard down there for a moment," he stated wryly. "I also see that your arsonist qualities temporarily slipped my mind," he added. The missing-nin frowned.

"It's not arson – it's art, un!" Naruto shook his head, a tiny smile upon his lips. He made no comment on the statement, however. He'd learned his lesson a long time ago about allowing the Iwa-nin to begin ranting about his passion.

Kurama merely watched the scene, looking rather amused with the entire thing. Neji glanced over at him, before his pale eyes drifted upwards to the sky. They narrowed, and he sighed once more.

"I believe it is high time I returned to the estate. Hiashi-sama will want to see how far Hinata-sama has progressed." The demon fox nodded, and motioned that he could leave. He bowed, to the redhead before lifting his hand in a half-wave, and leaping off.

"He's a respectful child – nowadays, people like him are far and few in between," Kurama stated, watching the Hyuuga go. Naruto nodded in agreement before glancing over at the long-haired blonde.

"Is there anything in particular that you want to do, or any place you want to see? It's almost time to retire, but if there's anything you want to do...that does not involve detonation or destruction of any sort." The blonde thought about it for a moment, before shrugging.

"What do you say we get something to eat, un?" he questioned. Naruto blinked. The thought of food had completely slipped his mind because he had already eaten that morning. He had no desire to eat, but that didn't necessarily mean the case was the same for Deidara.

"Ah...of course," he agreed. "Anything in particular you want?" The long-haired blonde grinned.

"Do they make bakudan here?" he questioned. Naruto's lips quirked up slightly before falling back into a neutral position.

"The non-explosive type, yes," he answered. Deidara merely rolled his eyes in response, and muttered something under his breath, Naruto did not know what was being said, but he doubted he wanted to either. He turned and began to walk, jerking his neck for Deidara to follow while simultaneously dispelling the kage bunshin that was Kurama. "Then come on and let's get some," he stated.

He was enthusiastically followed by the pyromaniac, as he fell into a light limp, favouring his left leg. Focusing on other things really did take the pain off his mind, for which he was extremely glad. Being stabbed with pure chakra was like being stabbed with a blade that had been under the fires of hell before being dipped into subzero water. It hurt.

"So...Naruto, un. What's it like to be back here after so long?" the Iwa-nin asked. Naruto shrugged. He could tell that Deidara was not exactly happy to be pent up within village walls, but from what Pein had told him, the arsonist had volunteered. For what reason was completely beyond him.

"Well...to be honest, it's rather nice to be back. I mean...my friends and everyone else are here, but still. It's like I lost something. Freedom namely. I can't leave without permission now, and although I have a training grounds to my own right now, I just prefer the open land," he replied honestly.

The Iwagakure S-class nin could sympathize with him, he knew. When he had been in the Akatsuki, he had the pleasure to come and go as he pleased. It was a far cry compared to this. Although he still loved the village and would defend it with his life, he wished he could do it without being limited to the village alone.

He supposed he wouldn't have felt the same if he didn't leave the village for so long. The instinct just followed in succession of the experience. He had trained with the freedom of being able to travel around whenever he wished. He was beginning to wonder how he had once thought that he would always be within the walls of the village.

"I know, un! I don't know how you could always stay here like this! Not to mention all your friends are annoying, un!" Naruto shook his head at the response.

"You're one to talk," he retorted, a hint of playfulness within his voice. The Iwa-nin blinked.

"What's that supposed to mean, un?" he questioned. The Uzumaki shrugged.

"Nothing..."

Naruto glanced to his side as soon as they were almost at the heart of the village, and headed to his left. He was followed by the pyromaniac, who was once again looking around. It was only then that the Uzumaki noticed something about the long-haired blonde.

"Why are you wearing gloves?" he questioned, merely out of curiosity. He didn't remember seeing the artist wearing them earlier. Maybe he had just put them on. The Iwa-nin frowned at the offensive fingerless leather articles of clothing that covered his hands. He flexed his fingers outward, and stared at them for a moment as if he wanted to burn them.

"Leader-sama said I should probably wear gloves. He said that 'if I insisted on being seen as who I really am, then I should probably cover the peculiar evidence'," Deidara quoted almost mockingly. Naruto's lips twitched upwards in a slight smile at the comment.

"I'd recognize you anywhere, Deidara," the Uzumaki replied. Deidara grinned in response.

"That's the effect I'm going for, un!" he responded enthusiastically. Naruto shook his head and chuckled before entering into a restaurant. Deidara followed behind him, and Naruto sat down. Not long after, a waitress walked over to them.

Naruto barely spared her a glance, although he knew she was walking towards them. "One serving of bakudan, please," he ordered. Deidara glanced over at him, but he made no move to place an addition to his order. As the waitress walked away, he glanced back to Deidara.

"You're not going to eat, un?" he asked. Naruto shook his head, his face paling slightly at the suggestion. Deidara sighed, and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're still like that? You really should eat more, un. It's not healthy if you eat this little, un. Even I know that." Naruto shook his head.

"No. I've tried before. I'm afraid that it never stays down." He sighed. "I've tried, but I just can't eat more than I've already taken. I ate well enough this morning." The Iwa-nin still looked dissatisfied, but made no more comment on the matter,

They both sat in silence, waiting for the order that had been placed. Naruto sighed softly. Time seemed to pass faster when he had been training. In the Land of Rivers, when he had been training, he could train for hours, and it would only feel like mere minutes.

The sun was already beginning to sink lower in the sky, but not enough that people would already begin to retire to their homes. Naruto's lips twitched upwards slightly before falling back into a neutral position. He did not feel like striking up a conversation to break the silence either. As a matter of fact, he greatly preferred the silence.

Soon, the waitress returned with his order. He slid it over to Deidara without the slightest bit of interest in it, although he had to admit, it smelled delicious. He watched in slight amusement as the blonde began to eat.

The Akatsuki all had their preferences, he knew, and Deidara's didn't come as much of a surprise to him. After all, he loved making bombs, so why wouldn't he love eating them as well? Naruto huffed slightly in amusement.

But the one that had surprised him the most probably had to be Itachi's. The elder of the two remaining Uchiha loved dango. The fact that the raven preferred sweet foods actually surprised Naruto more than he'd have liked to admit. But in some way, it did make a strange sort of sense. Itachi wasn't a violent person, nor was he one that would act on a whim.

Naruto waited patiently as the blonde ate, not wanting to disturb his meal. Silently he wondered why the Iwa-nin had volunteered to be stationed with him in Konoha, instead of with his normal partner in who knows where.

Perhaps Deidara had gotten himself caught in another argument with the redhead. Naruto wouldn't put it past either of them. Their arguments, particularly Deidara's, were always placed forward with a surprising amount of passion, even for the rather laid-back Sasori.

But Naruto would think that Deidara valued his freedom just as much as the blonde himself did. He knew that if he were to be within the walls of a village for an indeterminate amount of time, if he had the choice, he would not be obliged to that option.

Deidara soon finished his meal, and glanced up at the Uzumaki, who still seemed to be lost within his thoughts. The long-haired blonde waved a hand in front of his face. When that failed to get his attention, he frowned. He stood up, and leaned across the table slightly before reaching out with a leather-clad hand, and tapping Naruto on the forehead with a slender digit.

"...hm?" Naruto glanced up at Deidara, who sighed, and sat back down.

"I think we're really going to get a blonde Itachi, un," he stated. "You're so unresponsive. Please tell me you aren't going to sprout that Sharingan, un," he joked dryly. Naruto rolled his eyes, before glancing at the empty plate.

"Are you finished?" The missing-nin nodded, and stood up once more. Naruto stood up as well, before shooting a glance at the blonde.

"Is there anything in particular that you want to do right now?" he questioned. The Iwagakure shinobi nodded, and stretched.

"Actually, if we could head over to your place or something...that is, if I'm staying there, un. I need to wash up." He glanced down at himself, before his eyes drifted once more to Naruto. "Speaking of which, where am I staying anyway, un?" Naruto shrugged.

"You can stay with me, if you want," he stated. The Iwa-nin nodded in assent. Naruto, jerked his neck for Deidara to follow him, before paying for the meal, and walking out of the restaurant. Deidara frowned.

"You didn't eat anything – you should have let me pay, un," he stated. Naruto shook his head in disagreement.

"Actually, since you're technically here as a guest, it's only right for me to pay," he voiced. Deidara frowned, but brought up the subject no longer.

They began to walk in the direction of Naruto's small apartment complex. Naruto sighed. "I apologize – the place I own isn't large as well, and since I only returned yesterday, I can't really say that it's been in the best shape."

"No problem, un. I've handled worse when travelling with Sasori-no-Danna, un. Since he doesn't need any sleep, its usually not too big a deal with him, but I still need my rest. The places he chooses to rest in are some of the worst, un." Naruto blinked.

"Ah...speaking of Sasori-san, did you two have an argument or anything?" he questioned. Deidara grinned, and snapped his fingers as if something had just come to his remembrance. Naruto waited silently for his response.

"Actually, the opposite, un. Well...we sort of did, I guess," Deidara replied thoughtfully. "We were arguing about whose art was better – I still think mine is, by the way, un – but I brought up the point you told me. You remember, right, un? You said that some moments last forever, right? I told that to Sasori-no-Danna, and he actually said you made a good point, un. So to be honest, we've actually formed some sort of mutual agreement, un."

Naruto chuckled. He hadn't expected that, but he'd be lying if he said it didn't amuse him. It did, because he'd never had expected Deidara to remember such a point, much less bring it up as an argument to the puppeteer.

"Ah...That's good. Pein-sama told me you volunteered to be stationed here. Why?" he questioned. Deidara turned to stare at him for a few moments, before facing forward once more.

"Why not, un?" he asked. There wasn't much Naruto could say to that.

He couldn't help but feel like the Akatsuki memeber had some sort of reason behind it, didn't he? Deidara was impressively intelligent, although probably not as much as some others Naruto could name. The blonde would not act on a whim.

He thought through this, even as he ascended the stairs that led to his flat. He could vaguely hear Deidara behind him and paid not much mind, knowing that the Iwa-nin would follow him. After what seemed like more of those moments of forever, he finally made it to the door of his complex.

Opening it, he stepped in, and allowed Deidara to follow. He tugged his shoes off, resolving to not leave the flat for a while, and entered the house. He turned, and glanced at Deidara, who was just setting his own shoes aside as well, and walking into the flat barefoot.

Naruto immediately headed over to his bedroom. He motioned for Deidara to follow him, and once he entered into his bedroom, pointed out a door on his right. "The bathroom's over there," he stated, sitting down on the bed.

Deidara nodded, and entered into the bathroom. Naruto watched his back until the door closed before sighing and lying down on the bed. His eyes drifted over to the mask Deidara had given him, and he reached over to pick it up.

He eyed it for a moment, before lowering it down by his side. He stared blankly at the roof for a moment, listening to the sound of running water. He sighed. It vaguely reminded him of the rushing waterfall of Takigakure or the seemingly ceaseless rain of Amegakure.

It only made him feel more nostalgic that he already was. He knew that he hadn't spoken to Tsunade about it yet, but he doubted that she would allow him to run free after having just returned. He could watch the village just as well from the outside as he could on the inside...right?

Besides – perhaps he could be some help with the Akatsuki in locating the main laboratory of Seiatsu. At least then he'd have a little more space to wander, even if not by much. He didn't understand why exactly – he loved the village as much as he always had – but he seemed to ache for freedom ever since he had returned.

He mused further. Tsunade had given her assent with the presence of Deidara – a notorious missing-nin. But what would she do once the situation had been resolved? Seiatsu was a common enemy between both of their groups, but that didn't necessarily mean everything would be fine with both groups after the situation was resolved.

Deidara had promised not to cause any trouble, and Naruto knew that he should have more confidence in the Iwa missing-nin, but he couldn't help but wonder. His instincts were already tugging at him, so why shouldn't they be troubling Deidara as well? After all, he had been independent for longer than the Uzumaki.

Naruto sighed. So many problems. Sometimes he missed the days where he would not think so far ahead, or contemplate on all the current situations that were at hand. When he didn't bother to think of such things, the less he would be worried. He quickly banished that thought. If he didn't, then he'd be worse off when the situation actually took place.

He glanced out the window. Slowly, but surely, the sun was dropping from its position in the sky, its beams painting a pale orange carefully over the forget-me-not blue sky. Naruto's eyes narrowed slowly as he watched the peaceful scene.

He blinked, and turned to face the bathroom door as Deidara walked out with a towel tied around his waist, his damp hair undone and cascading over his shoulders. Naruto had never actually seen Deidara with his hair down, but he had to admit that the blonde looked striking with his hair untied.

The long-haired blonde ran a hand though his hair and winced slightly as his finger caught on a small snarl. He pulled through it gently, careful to not damage the golden locks, before sighing, and walking over to sit on the edge of the bed.

He frowned, and sighed. "Do you have a hairbrush, Naruto, un?" he questioned. The blonde stared at him for a moment, before his lips twitched slightly.

"I have something, but it isn't exactly a hairbrush," he replied. Deidara shrugged.

"Can I borrow it, un?" he asked. Naruto shrugged, as a familiar red chakra seeped into his hand. His nails grew elongated, and he held up his hand for the Iwa-nin to see. Deidara blinked. Naruto shrugged.

"Sorry, but I never really had much need for a hairbrush back then, so I never kept one with me. If you want, I can brush your hair for you." The artist frowned his disapproval, and Naruto sighed. "I can be gentle, you know."

Finally, after a moment's hesitation, the sculptor nodded in agreement, and turned his back to the Uzumaki. Naruto reached for the long blonde hair with his normal hand, and lifted a portion of it, before taking his clawed hand and running his nails carefully through the missing-nin's hair.

He quickly met a small snarl, and picked at it with a single long nail, patiently untangling it throughout the movement while making sure he didn't tug on Deidara's hair. After the snarl fell undone, he continued to brush softly through the portion of the Iwa-nin's hair that was held apart from the rest by his hand.

He continued his ministrations, careful to not pull as he combed through separate portions of the sculptor's hair. He hummed softly to himself as he worked, his eyes drifting over to the window once more as he gazed at the pastel shades of the sky.

His gaze drifted back to the sun-kissed strands of hair that his claws were brushing though. Almost done...he wondered how Deidara could manage his hair all the time. Being sent on missions among many other things was sure to take it's toll, right? Somehow, Deidara still found the time to give his hair the attention it merited.

He brushed through the last partition before going over the entirety of Deidara's hair with his claws once more to make sure that the Iwa-nin's hair had been thoroughly brushed. Finally, he lowered his hand, allowing it to return to normal, and coughing slightly to signal he was done.

Deidara ran a few experimental digits through his hair, and smiled. He really hadn't expected the Uzumaki to be that gentle. As a matter of fact, it was even more than he himself was with his own hair. The snags and snarls never ceased to irritate him at times, which made management something of a pain.

Nonetheless, he was still thankful. Besides – even if those were claws and not a brush, it still felt more gentle than any brush, and he was thankful. He didn't think that he would tolerate anyone else tugging on his hair apart from himself.

He turned his body slightly to glance at the Uzumaki, and smiled gratefully at him. He then caught sight of the mask he had fashioned for the blonde upon the bed in perfect condition. He reached for it, and inspected it carefully.

"Looks like you really have been taking care of it, un," he stated, a smile on his face. A slow smile crawled over Naruto's face at the comment.

"I wouldn't have it broken," he responded. "After all, you did work hard on it – I would hate for all that work to be wasted on the first few days of usage." Deidara shook his head at that.

"I already told you, un. You don't have to be afraid of having it rough-handled. It's infused with chakra to give it strength, un." Naruto nodded slowly, his gaze drifting from the mask to the person who had made it.

"I know – I heard. But I still want to take care of it. It's the only one like it, and I'm happy that you bothered to take the time and make it." Deidara merely shrugged.

"Since it's been a relative peacetime for the past few years, I've had lots of time to hone my art, un. It wasn't a bother – just a way to pass time, un." Naruto shrugged, and glanced out the window as part of the sky slowly began to darken.

"If you say so. But just because you're reassuring me doesn't mean I'll take your words lightly." He sat up and stretched. "By the way – did you bring anything with you?" he asked. Deidara chuckled, and walked out of the room.

He returned a moment later with a few scrolls in his hands. "Oh...a few things, un. Clothing and other things I'll need. I forgot the hairbrush though, un." Naruto wondered how someone that seemed to favour his hair would forget his hairbrush.

"All right then." Deidara left three of the four scrolls on the dresser, and took one with him as he re-entered the bathroom. He appeared a moment later in a navy blue sleeveless v-neck midriff shirt with matching pants. It was much like what he wore daily, except without the mesh armour and stirrups.

His hair was still let down though, and Naruto wondered if he felt more comfortable that way. If that was so, the Uzumaki would not complain. He sat up as Deidara walked over once again, and sat down on the edge of the bed. The artist tossed the scroll alongside the others before glancing out the window.

"Where do I sleep, un?" he questioned. Naruto blinked, and thought for a moment. He didn't have any guest rooms, as he didn't entertain any guests, and this was the only bed in the entire complex. He frowned, before shrugging.

"You can sleep here. I'll take the couch." The reaction was immediate.

"No, you stay here! It's your house – I can seep on the couch, un." Naruto shook his head, and stood up.

"I'm fine. I can assure you I've probably slept in worse places than you have at times. You stay here. It's fine, I assure you." He stood up, and set the mask on the windowsill. Deidara grabbed his arm, and glanced up at him.

"No, un. You stay here." Naruto sighed.

"Look. Either you sleep here, or both of us do. I'll take the couch," he insisted, before walking out of the room. He shook his head slowly, a tiny smile curving onto his lips. Honestly...there were some things that slipped his mind until he bothered to see their significance.

Naruto allowed himself to lounge on the couch for a moment, staring in the direction of the bedroom. After a few moments, he slowly closed his eyes and shook his head. Lying down, he stared at the roof for lack of something better to do until he fell asleep.

He lifted a hand and clenched it into a slow fist. Even though he had been doing a fairly good job keeping his mind off things, he still couldn't shake off the restlessness that was stirring within his veins. It was almost like there was something within him trying to wake up, and he wasn't in the least talking about Kurama.

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There was a huge lack of events in that chapter. Wow. I feel like I could write fillers for Naruto at this rate. Now where did that ninja ostrich thing go...?


	11. Chapter 10

Hello~ Once again, thank you all so much for the faves/follows~ And again, I have not much else to say on this part.

Deidara speaks his mind to our Uzumaki, who actually lends an ear this time around. Breakfast, and a slap on the face to follow. Naruto's forgetting some important things in light of things to come. Our arson artist isn't too pleased about that...

Disclaimer: I own only the plot.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 10: Breaking Point

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Naruto yawned softly, and sat up against the couch. He glanced around the room blankly for a moment, before recalling what had happened. He sighed, and leaned back, his head tilting to stare at the roof once more.

So...Akatsuki was already moving into action, and Deidara was stationed with him. Was there anything else? Ah. He'd have to make sure no one tried to kill the Iwa-nin, and somehow avoid the new flood of questions that would be directed toward him.

He stood up, and headed towards his bedroom. Quietly, he pushed the door open, wincing as the hinges creaked. He peered in to see that Deidara was still sleeping. Good. Walking over to his closet, he searched through it for a moment, before pulling out a new set of clothing.

Silently, he headed over to the bathroom. He never really entertained any guests, or brought people to his home in general. It wasn't built for those sort of things, so having someone staying over could be a little unprecedented.

Pulling out a toothbrush, he squeezed some toothpaste onto it, and began to brush his teeth.

He undressed out of the clothing he had fallen asleep in. Sighing, he stepped into the shower stall, and allowed the water to run.

After a quick shower, he quickly dried himself off and towel-dried his hair, shaking it out. He dressed into the normal black and fishnet armour, before walking out of the bathroom once more. He blinked. Deidara was still asleep. Silently, he padded over to the Iwa-nin, and glanced down at him.

The artist's hair had been left down, and it had spread out over the sheets from the unconscious movements of the long-haired blonde. Naruto's lips curved up slightly. The expression on the sculptor's face was actually rather neutral. Naruto supposed the cliché for sleeping people looking peaceful didn't really apply to everyone.

He blinked as eyelids lifted to reveal blue eyes staring up at him. He stepped back as Deidara blinked sleepily and yawned, covering his mouth. The Iwagakure missing-nin sat up, before turning to face him, an amused smile on his face.

"Were you watching me sleep, un?" he questioned. Naruto shrugged. He supposed there really was no other way he could phrase what he had been doing.

"I suppose I was," he admitted. Deidara chuckled, and stretched once more, before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed so his feet could touch the floor. He glanced down at the article of furniture he was sitting on, before his gaze returned to the Uzumaki.

"Did you sleep all right, un?" he asked. Naruto nodded in response.

"Don't worry about me. I slept fine. I'm just used to waking up early now, so I do it even when I don't need to." Deidara sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"Somehow I get the feeling you don't take care of yourself enough, un. There's no harm in treating yourself every now and then." Naruto blinked.

"What do you mean?" he questioned. Deidara yawned slightly, and brushed a lock of hair behind his ear. He thought about it for a moment.

"Well, every time I see you, you're either ready to go on a mission for the Akatsuki or the other shinobi nations, or you're training, un. You sometimes take a break at the hideout, but you don't stay for long before you leave saying you have to train, or you have a mission." Deidara frowned. "Working and training yourself is all good, but you have to be careful, un."

"What for?" Naruto asked. After all, he thought he was perfectly fine. Apparently not to the Iwa-nin. Deidara raised an eyebrow, and shook his head.

"You know, there are other things that should be more significant in your life, un," he stated. "For example – I bet your physical condition is excellent, right?" He didn't wait for a response. "But what about your emotional health, un? You keep saying this is all to protect the people dear to you, but if you don't take the time to be around them, they won't be so close, will they?" He frowned. "If you really want to show how much they mean to you, training yourself is all good, but if you don't spend time with them, you'll find yourself drifting away, and believe it or not, your passion for protecting them won't be as strong, un."

"But-"

"Take a break from training today, un. Go take care of yourself instead. Relax for once, Naruto, un." The Uzumaki frowned.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Your habits are changing you, un. Do you want to end up like Chibi-tachi? You're already growing to be like Itachi in the way you're acting so antisocial, un. One Itachi is more than enough, thank you very much, un." A slow smile spread over the Uzumaki's face.

"I guess I don't want to become like Sasuke," he agreed. "If I do, it'll probably start raining." The missing-nin mock frowned.

"I've had my share of rain in Amegakure, un," he moaned. "Don't make it like that here too!" Naruto rolled his eyes and punched the artist playfully on the arm. He chuckled lightly. It had been a while since he had expressed himself so freely.

"You're right...maybe I should loosen up," he stated. Deidara blinked, and stared at him.

" _Maybe,_ un?" Naruto rolled his eyes.

"All right, I _need_ to loosen up. Better?" The sculptor nodded.

"Much better, un."

The long-haired blonde stood up, and grinned, before walking over to the dresser an grabbing one of his scrolls. "I'll go wash up, and then we can go do...whatever it is you do around here," he stated, before heading to the bathroom.

Naruto watched him go, before shaking his head slowly and exiting the room. He sat down on the couch as he waited for the artist to finish washing up. He wondered what exactly Deidara was trying to accomplish by making him take a break, but he supposed the Iwa-nin had his reasons.

Not long later, Deidara walked out of the bedroom in just his pants and the sleeveless v-neck shirt as well as the fingerless gloves he had been wearing the day before. His hair was tied up in a half updo just as he normally styled it.

"So...what sort of food do you keep here, un?" he questioned. Naruto shrugged slowly, and stood up.

"Maybe we can grab something while outside," he stated. "All I have here is ramen cups. Since I was hated by the village back then, I couldn't rely on being able to go and buy something else. You wouldn't believe some of the things they would give me."

He shook his head slowly, and began to walk for the door, a small frown on his face. Deidara watched him go, and lowered his eyes for a moment, a frown upon his features as well. He caught up to the Uzumaki, who had by then slipped on his sandals. Deidara did the same, and followed as Naruto led him outside.

"Where are we headed off to, un?" the Iwa-nin asked. Naruto chuckled.

"A place that Anko-san always goes. I'm sure Itachi-san would have gone there too when he was younger," Naruto explained. The blonde beside him sighed. A small smile curved onto Naruto's lips. Did Deidara still have something against Itachi for defeating him in battle?

Naruto supposed that it was because of the sculptor's dedication to his art, but that didn't mean he had to hate Itachi. Although the Uzumaki did have to admit that he would probably be the same if he was in Deidara's place. After all, the artist was very ardent when it came to his work.

"You know...you can hate the Sharingan, but you don't have to hate it's user," he stated. Deidara glanced over at him.

"What do you mean, un? I don't..." he drifted off. A frown formed on the sculptor's face. Naruto sighed.

"You know that Itachi-san isn't a bad person, Deidara. He's just...loyal to a fault, shall we say?" A small bark of laughter was his response.

"Some could say the same for you, Naruto, un," he responded smartly. The Uzumaki rolled his eyes.

"I guess you're right," he replied. "But if you still have grudges like that, then it wouldn't go down well since you're all in the same organization," he added. Deidara shrugged.

"I don't hate him, I guess...I just hate that damn Sharingan, un." Naruto chuckled.

"I know what you mean..." he replied. "But I don't hate Sasuke – I just have some sort of rivalry with him." The Uzumaki smiled sightly. "I know I don't hate Itachi. Did you know he told me everything before he ran?" The Iwa missing-nin shook his head. Naruto frowned. "He would never do anything without a reason." Deidara sighed, and frowned.

"I know, un. But that still doesn't mean I'm going to let him off the hook all that easily. I'll just continue to refine my art, un!" Naruto chuckled slightly. That was better.

He glanced around the street they were walking through still bathed in a yellowish-orange from the early sunlight. He stopped at a small teahouse, and entered into it, followed by the missing-nin. Naruto noted that Deidara had chosen to forego his hitai-ate. It would be hard to explain oneself if one was wearing a hitai-ate with a slash through the symbol unless one told the truth.

Naruto made his order quietly, before heading back outside. He sat down there, deciding to take advantage of the quietness in the morning before the bustle of everyday domestic life began once more. Deidara sat down beside him, and stared out at the silent street.

"It's nice in the morning around here, un," he stated. Naruto nodded in agreement.

"I like being out at dawn and dusk, because that's when the village is quiet," he voiced. "It's the tranquillity, I guess. I've learned to appreciate the silence." Deidara shrugged.

"I suppose I don't really have a preference, un. Sometimes I like the quiet, and other times I prefer to be loud." Naruto nodded, and tilted his neck back to stare at the peach, pink, and lavender sky.

"There's a time for everything," he agreed. Deidara shrugged, but made no argument on the matter. Naruto frowned. "Deidara?"

"Un?"

"Does it feel stifling here?" he questioned. The blonde beside him frowned.

"What do you mean by that, un?" he questioned. Naruto sighed, and his eyes lowered to face the Iwa missing-nin.

"I mean...having to be constrained within the village. Since you're a S-class criminal, and a member of the Akatsuki, and you're in the village, you're expected to stay in the village...I mean, being here, and knowing that you can't get out unless told, or unless you do something about it that's against orders..." he sighed. "I'm just rambling now. Sorry." Deidara shook his head, and smiled slightly.

"It's less tiresome to listen to than Sasori-no-Danna's rants about his art, un," he replied. "And...I don't know actually. I never really thought about it, un. You mean restriction of my freedom?" he asked.

"Yes...something like that, I guess," Naruto replied. Deidara chuckled.

"I guess now that you've been a travelling mercenary for so long, being here might seem like prison, un," he stated. "I'm not comfortable here, either, un. But I guess it's my fault for volunteering to be here anyway. Naruto blinked.

"Speaking of which, what was your reason for volunteering if you knew you were going to be in a village full of shinobi who are more than willing to slit your throat?" he questioned. The long-haired blonde rolled his eyes.

"Don't all villages want to slit my throat, un?" he asked. "I guess I just needed a bit of time away from Sasori-no-Danna. His rants get on my nerves...everyone knows art is the beauty of a fleeting moment, un!" Naruto frowned, and tilted his head to the side slightly.

"I thought you said you were both on good terms?" The Iwa-nin's response seemed a little more curt than his normal tone of speech. Naruto could see that the artist was lying, but he couldn't see why Deidara wouldn't want to tell the truth.

"Well, we are, un. It's just that I'm tired of having to listen to him when he keeps telling me not to keep him waiting or how his art is better. It's so not, un." Naruto raised an eyebrow, but made no further comment, as Deidara seemed to be growing flustered.

He glanced up, before smiling and thanking the lady who brought his order over to him along with two cups of green tea. Deidara glanced at the plate of dango, and picked out a skewer. He eyed it, before biting into it. Naruto chuckled.

"Hanami season will soon be here. They've begun to make hanami dango, so I ordered those along with the other ones." He smiled slightly. "I don't know what you like, so I just got bocchan, mitarashi, and goma."

Deidara glanced down at the dango in his hand, before his eyes trailed over to Naruto. "The quality of these are great, un," he complimented. Naruto chuckled lightly.

"I can trust Anko-san to know all the best plces in the village for dango," he replied. "Besides – I'd think you'd like it better than instant ramen." Deidara shrugged.

"I don't care, really..." he stated, before drifting off, and finishing his stick of dango. Setting it down on the edge of the plate, he took another stick of mitarashi. Naruto decided on the tri-coloured bocchan, and began to eat.

They dined in relatively comfortable silence, Naruto stopping after his third stick, and allowing Deidara to finish the rest. He stared out at the Hokage monument, small thoughts crossing his mind every now and then.

"Naruto, un." He turned, and saw Deidara holding a stick of goma dango out in his direction. He tilted his head to one side slightly. "If you're not going to eat for the rest of the day, then you're going to eat now, un," he stated. Naruto shook his head slowly.

"I..."

"Can't? What happened to all that determination from the Naruto I know, un? You know what's good for you. Just at least one dumpling." Naruto sighed, and accepted the stick. He pulled a single ball off the stick with his teeth, before setting the unfinished stick on the plate, and chewing slowly.

Deidara on the other hand, continued to eat until he too was full. Naruto sighed, and leaned back, his weight resting against his arms which were stretched out behind his back. A slight breeze blew through the village, blowing his hair over to one side.

He glanced over at Deidara to see that the Iwa-nin had finished eating as well. Naruto picked up his cup of green tea, and took a draught from it. He finished it off, before sitting upright and arching his back to stretch it out.

Deidara stood up, and eyed the Uzumaki for a moment before walking into the teahouse. A few moments later, he reappeared, and walked down onto the road. Naruto stood up as well. "What were you doing?" he questioned. Deidara, motioned for him to follow.

"I just paid for breakfast, un," he stated nonchlantly. Naruto blinked.

"You did what?"

"I paid for our meal, un," he repeated. Naruto frowned.

"You know-"

"I shouldn't have done that? Too bad, un – I did." He stuck his tongue out in a playful manner, before growing a little more serious. "You paid yesterday, and you didn't eat anything, un. It's only right." Naruto sighed.

"You're just not going to let me win, are you?" The Iwa-nin nodded.

"Of course I won't, un." Naruto stepped down, and walked up beside him. "So, where are we off to now?" the artist asked. Naruto shrugged.

"Any place you want to see?" he questioned. Deidara sighed and shook his head mockingly.

"You're a terrible tour guide, un." Naruto blinked.

"I never agreed to that!" He frowned. "But now that you mention that sort of thing, do you want to go to the top of the Hokage monument? I usually go sit up there when I'm thinking about something, or if I want to watch the village or the sky, or even just to pass time." The sculptor shrugged.

"Sure, un."

Naruto chuckled, and jumped onto the roof of the nearest building. He glanced down at Deidara, and motioned for him to follow. After a moments hesitation, one pair of feet turned into two as they hurtled across the rooftops.

"Do you always travel around the village like this, un?" Deidara asked. Naruto shrugged.

"It's faster, no one cares, and there's less of a chance you'll run into anyone," Naruto answered. "I don't do it all the time – only when I feel like it." Deidara nodded slowly, before his eyes clouded over for a moment and he sighed.

As the village began to wake, Naruto hopped onto the Yondaime's head. He sat down, and eyed the village quietly, his knees pulled up close to his chest. Deidara sat down as well, his legs stretched out in front of him, his weight resting against his arms.

"Nice view from up here, un," he stated. Naruto nodded, but made no response to the Iwa missing-nin. He sighed, and stared down at the awakening village. Only morning, and the village was already beginning to get busy.

"You know...I don't know if Tsunade-sama or Jiraiya-sama or Kakashi-sensei or...anyone else, knows that I know who my father and mother were," he stated quietly. Deidara blinked.

"Why would you say that, un?" he questioned. Naruto frowned.

"I have a feeling they were actually trying to keep that information away from me," he replied. "You know, Kurama-sama told me while we were training, and I can see why they wouldn't want to tell me." He sighed. "But I still wish they did." Deidara frowned, not seeing where this was going.

"Why, un?" he asked. Naruto sighed once more.

"I suppose it's a selfish reason, but I'm only human, right? I just wanted to know...I just wanted to know that there was someone who loved me. I inherited the will to protect and help the village flourish, but all the villagers hated me. Even though I had the Sandaime, he was busy with his Hokage duties. I just wanted..." Naruto swallowed slightly. "I just wanted to be loved. I just wanted to know that there were people who actually cared whether I lived or died. I was told that even my mother had made Sandaime promise to take care of me."

"Naruto..." Deidara drifted off, before biting his lip and stared at the village. Naruto's eyes slid shut.

"So...if love is something that needs to be earned, then I'll work. I'll train myself and make myself strong. I'll love the village, and hope that one day they'll be able to do the same in return. I'll protect this village with my life, and even if they still hate me, I'll protect this place..." Naruto drifted off.

Deidara could see thin strands of water trail from the edges of the blonde's eyes. He frowned. This behaviour...it was like Naruto had just released a burden that he had held for years. For all Deidara knew, that could be the exact case.

"Naruto." The blonde quickly rubbed at his eyes with his hand, before staring stone-faced at the Iwagakure missing-nin, as if nothing had happened. Deidara frowned at this, as he could see that the blonde was still fighting back threatening tears.

The artist frowned, before raising his gloved hand, and slapping the Uzumaki on the cheek. It wasn't a harsh movement, but just enough for Naruto to feel a slight sting on the side of his face. He blinked in surprise, and stared at Deidara.

"Stop acting like this, un! You're strong – we all know that. You've proven yourself over and over again, un." Deidara's frown deepened as he lowered his hand from the blonde's cheek. "It's like I have to teach you how to be human, again, un! Stop trying to act tough all the time."

"But-"

"What, un? If you keep acting like that, then there will be a time where people will begin to rely on you and drift away from you, thinking you can hold yourself up on your own, un! What then? When you fall, you won't be able to get back on your feet, un." Deidara inhaled slowly, and sighed before staring the blonde straight in the eyes.

"Look. Your friends are all here for you because they worry for you, un. If you continue to act like this, then they may think you no longer need them. Not only that, it's not healthy for you if you act like that. If you need to cry, then cry, un. No one will judge you unless they do not understand the importance of how you feel." Naruto blinked. Deidara's eyes softened slightly.

"Your friends have already long since accepted you, Naruto, un. They already love you, so stop acting like they don't. The same goes for the Akatsuki, un. It doesn't matter how we act, or what we look like – we really do care about you, and that's what matters, un." Deidara stared flatly at him.

"So stop acting like we don't, un! We do count as something, don't we? You have many friends, Naruto, un. All over the shinobi nations...the Kazekage and his siblings, that boy from the Land of Waves...so many people, un!

"You don't need to earn love, Naruto, un. It's already there for you. You simply have to find it, un. You never know – it may even be searching for you, un. Just be yourself, Naruto. The you that we all know, even if a more intelligent and far stronger version, un. You don't have to keep acting like someone else."

"But...there's just no urge to. This is-"

"No excuse, un. You are still you. There's a time for everything, you said it yourself, un. There is a time where it's appropriate for you to act this way, and a time where you should be more lighthearted. Like I said, if you keep continuing like this, we'll get another Chibi-tachi version blonde, and one Itachi is enough!" Naruto chuckled slightly, rubbing once more at his eyes.

"It is, isn't it?" he asked. Deidara grinned.

"Naruto...stop looking at what you want. Stop looking at what seems just out of your reach, un. There are many things around you for you to appreciate. Soon enough, those wants will come, but there's no point in being down because you don't have what you want, un. That's just selfish." Naruto laughed slightly.

"Selfishness is human nature though, so is sadness. And happiness," Naruto mused. "All of it just points to the fact that I'm human," he stated. Deidara chuckled.

"Un. That's true," he agreed. Naruto sighed, a smile curving onto his lips. Deidara was glad to see that it was not one of those small, slightly forced ones, but instead a real one.

"You know...all the way back when I was eight, Kurama told me that all my wants are still greed, and the greater the want, the greater the greed." Deidara contemplated on that point fro a few moments as the sky turned blue.

"I suppose that's true in a sense, un. But not all wants are bad, even if it's still greed, or at least that's what I think. It's only when those wants grow too great it becomes dangerous, un." Naruto poked the Iwa-nin on the arm.

"One could say the same about your art," he teased. Deidara feigned mock-rage.

"Hey! No bringing my art into this, un!" Naruto scuttled over to the side, laughing. Deidara grinned – that was much better. Better than what he had seen from the Uzumaki in years. Soon enough, Naruto returned to his original spot.

"You know...thank you." Deidara stared quizzically at him.

"What for?" Naruto smiled.

"For straight out telling me what my problem was," he replied. Deidara grinned.

"No problem, un!" That was what friends did, right?

* * *

Aaaaand, that's the end of the chapter. You know, I was actually planning to make it nice and peaceful for Naruto for the next few chapters. Turns out, I'm terrible at that sort of thing. Uh-oh...what's in store for them now? ;) Please review!


	12. Chapter 11

Hello again! Thanks for the faves/follows/review~ It means more than you might think!

So much for a peaceful day. It's only morning and things are already going hideously wrong. Why do problems love landing on our Kitsune-san's head? Perhaps the events have started far sooner than Naruto and Deidara expected. That can never be a good thing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters!

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That I May Protect

Chapter 11: Uncalled For

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"You know..." Naruto began. Deidara mock-frowned.

"No I don't, so tell me, un." The smart remark earned him a punch to the shoulder, and he chuckled.

"I don't want my friends to load hate on you because they don't know you. Friends of mine should get along, right?" he asked. Deidara blinked.

"I don't know, Naruto, un. Are you sure that's a good idea, un?" Naruto shrugged.

"I just want them to know the you that the rest of the Akatsuki and I know," he replied. "Like I said, there's a time for everything, and that includes dropping grudges," he stated. Deidara blinked.

"You're right, I guess, but I'm still not sure about the kunoichi that almost killed Sasori-no-Danna, un. He can get over it – he remade his body and upgraded it so that it's less prone to breaking apart, but if she still has something against us, un..." Naruto chuckled.

"Look at you, the big bad Akatsuki scared of a girl," he teased. Deidara feigned offence at the statement. "But serously. You heard what I said – there's a time for everything, and that includes laying aside grudges. Besides – I can't exactly let her hit you because I've got to keep on the good sides of Tsunade-sama and Pein-sama." Deidara shrugged.

"Point taken. Fine, I'll go with it, un," the artist replied. Naruto grinned. He sighed, and allowed his legs to stretch out until his position mimicked that of the artist next to him. He stared out at the village before puffing out a sigh.

"Hey, Deidara?"

"Hm?"

"Do you find domestic life boring?" The Iwa-nin grinned.

"Well...there's a lack of explosions, un. That's one thing. But I suppose travelling around is more interesting, if that's what you mean, un," he replied. "I mean...if there's nothing to do but sit around all day, then things can get pretty boring."

Naruto nodded in agreement. He didn't mind being in the village for some time, but already there was a lack of the action that he was used to for the past seven years. He huffed slightly. It was strange how there could be so many impending events, and yet, nothing currently happening.

"I would suggest we go train to keep our mind off things, but you already called that off," the Uzumaki stated, with a mock-pout. Deidara grinned, and smacked his head lightly.

"If you're so desperate to injure yourself further, go right ahead, un," he replied. "Just as long as you're not hung up on it like you were earlier." Naruto blinked.

"I was not hung up!"

"Were to, un."

"Was not!"

"Why are you arguing about this, un?"

"Because you won the last one!"

"Oh. I did, didn't I, un?"

"Yeah."

"Still."

"Was not!" Deidara slapped a hand over the blonde's mouth, and huffed out a sigh. The blonde struggled in his grip for a moment before calming down. When Deidara felt the Uzumaki relax in his grip, he removed his hand. Naruto sighed beside him, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

"You do not know how glad I am that you were wearing a glove," he sighed out. Deidara raised an eyebrow, and pulled his glove, holding his hand before the Uzumaki's face, and allowing the tongue to hang out.

"And pray tell what's that supposed to mean, un?" Naruto glanced at the hand for a moment, before sidling away once more.

"Oh...nothing.." he hummed. Deidara grinned, and slipped the glove back on.

"Are you sure about that, un?"

"Yes, yes..." Naruto quickly replied, flashing him a playful grin. "Now you were saying something about training...?"

Deidara stood up, and stretched his arms above his head. A breeze blew his hair to one side, as he lowered the limbs, and he glanced down at the Uzumaki, a slight smirk on his face. "What are you waiting for, un? Maybe not being out of the village is making you lazy," he teased.

Naruto jumped to his feet, an expression of mock-offence upon his features as he jabbed the Iwa-nin in the ribs with his elbow. "You're one to talk. Are you sure you didn't volunteer just so you wouldn't have to do anything?"

The artist blinked, and stared at him for a moment, an unreadable expression crossing his eyes. A mere split-second later, it disappeared behind a grin making Naruto wonder if it had even been there at all.

"Please, un. Maybe you came back so that you could get out of missions," he retorted. Naruto shrugged.

"Technically, both of us are still on a mission, you know. It's just that we've been stationed within the village." Deidara nodded in agreement before staring out over the village, a hand resting on his hip. He turned to face Naruto a moment later.

"Say, un...what do you say to a race?"

"To the training ground?"

"Un."

"You're on!" A moment after the cry, the Uzumaki jumped from the Yondaime's head to the ground. Deidara followed, a grin on his face. Naruto glanced over at him, before jumping onto a nearby roof, and traversing to the training ground.

Deidara followed in close pursuit, yet still didn't manage to catch up to him. The long-haired blonde gritted his teeth, and accelerated his speed.

The wind created from his leaping from rooftop to rooftop blew his hair out behind him, revealing his left eye. Unlike normal, it was open, as he scanned the village. He changed his route slightly, and grinned as soon the Uzumaki was behind him.

"No one said different routes weren't permitted, un!" he called back. He could see the Uzumaki was a little irked that he had been overtaken, but he noted that Naruto was making no effort to overtake him. He slowed down slightly, but that provoked the same result.

He slowed down further, until he was matching the Uzumaki step for step, their movements synchronized to the point where it would sound like one person, instead of two people. He sighed. Was the jinchuriki thinking about something to the point where he would blank out while running? Or roof-jumping, rather.

"Naruto!" The kyuubi-vessel blinked, and glanced at Deidara, his legs still moving in time with the Iwa-nin's. Deidara sighed. "What's going on with you today, un? You're closer to normal – that's good – but why weren't you responding, un?" Naruto frowned.

"Responding to what?" he questioned. Deidara resisted the urge to sigh, as he shook his head slowly.

"Never mind, un."

They both landed on the training ground in one fluid movement, and Deidara looked around, the place was rather nice in the morning, despite all the noise going on in the main sections of the village. He shrugged.

"I guess no one won, un," he announced flatly. Naruto glanced over at him.

"Won what?" Deidara sighed.

"Never mind."

The loud sound of a rather high pitched keen broke them both out of their thoughts. Deidara's eyes scanned the area, and he spotted a large black bird of some sort. His lips curved upwards slightly, and he lifted his arm. The bird flew over to him, and landed on his arm.

It was a dignified creature, and he realized it to be a black eagle. He glanced down at its leg, and spotted a scroll, sealed and tied with a red, black and white ribbon. Deidara moved over to him, and attempted to take the scroll. His hand quickly snapped back as the black eagle attempted to peck at it.

"Calm down, Kohaku...he's not trying anything. Don't you remember, he's on our side?" The black eagle ruffled its feathers, and pointedly turned its head away. Naruto lifted his hand, and quickly removed the scroll from its leg. He lifted his arm, and allowed the eagle to perch on his shoulder, as he performed a hand seal. "Kai!"

The scroll unsealed itself, and Naruto read over the coded inscription. His eyes widened, and his hands began to shake. Biting his lip, he handed the scroll over to the Iwa-nin, and lifted an arm for the black eagle.

It hopped back onto his arm, and he ran a hand over its feathers for a brief moment. His eyes grew hard. "Hurry back to your contractor, Kohaku. We'll brief with Tsunade-sama. Go now." He gave the eagle a launch with his arm, before staring at Deidara.

"Hurry – we have to speak with the Hokage," he stated tersely. "This is moving faster than we may have expected. Let's go." The artist rolled up the scroll, and lobbed it back to the Uzumaki, before nodding.

In that perfect synchronization, they leapt back onto the rooftops of Konoha's buildings on their way to the Hokage tower. Naruto frowned, and glanced at the scroll clenched within his hand. If he'd only known they would act so quickly...but then again, it did make sense.

His pace grew in speed, and to his surprise, was matched by Deidara. He knew he was faster than average, but he didn't know his pace could be matched so perfectly. The look of anger and desperation on the Iwa-nin's face matched his as well.

His features softened slightly at that. The Akatsuki really had become like family to each other. Not merely close friends, but family that wasn't bound by blood. He bit his lip, and continued to make his way as quickly as he could through the village.

They landed on the ground before the tower, and stayed crouched there for a moment, both of them panting although the distance had not been so great. Narutos eyes had gradually grown completely purple in hue, and his pupils were beginning to narrow as well.

He forced himself to keep calm as he pulled Deidara to his feet, and walked towards the tower. He could tell Deidara was trying to do the same, and he could sympathize with how difficult it was, but all the same, he could not afford for either of them to lose their composure.

He walked into the tower, and began to ascend the steps to the office. Midway, he decided it didn't matter anymore, and broke into a slow run, followed closely by the Akatsuki's arsonist. He didn't know how he was going to get there in time...

Without even announcing himself, he burst into the office, his purple eyes scanning the scene that met him. Team 7 once more. He forced himself to calm down, but it was not working. He disregarded all of them, and dashed for the Godaime's desk.

"Tsunade-sama! Please, this is urgent!" he exclaimed, pushing the scroll onto her desk. Deidara nodded beside him, both of them looking equally distressed. Tsunade stared from one to the other, and the first thing that caught her eyes was the fact that Naruto's were fully purple.

She opened the scroll, and her eyes narrowed as she read through it. Meanwhile, Team Kakashi stood behind them, dumbfounded and wondering what had just happened. Deidara's hands clenched into tight fists as he awaited the reply.

Tsunade shot a side glance at Shizune, who was staring at the scene, half disturbed, and half quizzical. She breathed out a sigh, before slamming the scroll down on her desk with considerable force. Not enough to break the desk, however. Her eyes flashed, and she glanced behind them at Team Kakashi.

"Team Kakashi. I'm recalling your previous mission. You are to follow Deidara back to the Gedo Statue hideout. There has been an ambush set for it, and we cannot allow anything to happen. I refuse any and all questions, as well as any harm done to Deidara. For now, he is our ally." She turned to face Naruto. "And you, Naruto." He nodded. "You are still a genin, and this is a dangerous mission, I'm afraid I can't allow you to go."

He was about to make an argument, but he caught the certain hint in her eyes. He sighed, and nodded slowly. She glanced back at the other four. "For this mission, you are going to need help. I'm hiring a mercenary to go with you. He goes by the name of Kitsune." Naruto would have grinned, did he not feel so desperate to leave.

"You will leave immediately!" she ordered. "Apart from you, Naruto, you will stay here. I have to speak with you."

Naruto glanced over at Deidara, who nodded, before walking over to Team Kakashi. The jounin was as composed as ever, apart from the slight narrowing of his only visible eye. Sakura seemed to think nothing of it, instead nodding, determined. Sasuke however, seemed strangely angry about something. No one asked what, however, and Naruto wasn't about to either.

The four left, leaving the office empty, save the ANBU guards, Shizune, Tsunade, and Naruto. The blonde stared at Tsunade for a moment, question within his purple eyes. She sighed.

"Your whereabouts have been highly confidential, even to me. I have a feeling that Kurama would not be too pleased if your cover was blown so soon," she stated. Now go." The blonde bowed, and exited out the window.

He headed back to his house, spotting Deidara headed in the same direction. He jumped onto the road, and fell into step alongside the long-haired blonde. He glanced over at Deidara, who still had his eyes fixed to the front.

"How much time were we given?" he questioned. Deidara bit his lip.

"Two minutes, but you told me yourself, un. It takes at the least two days for a normal shinobi to reach the hideout, and that's without breaks." Naruto sighed.

"If I send Kurama-sama ahead to help them..." he thought. Deidara frowned.

"Isn't that dangerous, un?" he questioned. Naruto's eyes narrowed.

"I can't let either of them die," he responded. Deidara's frown deepened, but he made no argument. Naruto glanced over at the Iwa-nin. "We both know the safe distance between both of us, and we can still communicate with each other. He wouldn't exceed the boundary."

"All right, un. If you say so."

They jumped up to the door of his flat, and Naruto ran in, followed by the artist. He quickly headed to his closet, and grabbed a new top so that he would not be recognied by his clothing. A shirt of mesh armour, and a black shirt with sleeves that extended to his elbows. It was topped off with a black sleeveless haori.

He then went on to mask his chakra, before summoning an empty kage bunshin. It was soon inhabited, and Naruto glanced up at his mentor. Kurama stared back down at him with calm but hardened amber eyes.

"Please," he pleaded quietly. The demon lord stared at him for a moment, before nodding. Naruto watched as he leapt out of the window, and ran out of the village at an inhuman speed. Naruto tensed for a moment, before relaxing.

He glanced over at Deidara, who nodded. He grabbed the mask, and slipped it over his face before slipping all his weapons into their designated spots with ease. He drew in a short breath, before glancing back at Deidara, and jumping out the window.

He ran through the village in the direction of the gates at a pace that couldn't rival his sensei, but was still fairly fast. By the time he made it to the gates, no one had yet arrived. Silently, he waited for the rest of Team Kakashi, knowing Deidara would be there soon enough. He closed his eyes for a moment, wondering if Pein and Konan were all right.

They were the only ones left at the lair, as well as the only ones that could make it to the cave where the Gedo statue was kept the quickest. Naruto bit his lip, impatience spiking within him. His eyes roved the village as he waited.

They soon landed on Deidara, who had, doubtless, left immediately after he did. He nodded slightly, as they both waited for the other three, the impatience in the area spiking up twice as strong as before. Naruto dearly hoped that Kakashi would realize the importance of this mission and actually care to be on time.

His two former teammates arrived later than he would have liked, but at least they were still there. He caught both of them tensing, and he stared at them. He could see the Sharingan activating, and he gazed at the Uchiha for a moment, before his head turned at the sound of movement.

"Sorry I'm late..." The silver-haired shinobi glanced at the newcomer with slight interest. "Kitsune-san, I take it?" he asked. Naruto simply dipped his head in response, before Deidara glanced out at the forest.

"Let's go. Now, un," he stated. Naruto nodded in agreement. Who knew how far Kurama was already. He didn't want to be a burden to his mentor.

Without waiting, both of them ran forward, out of the gates, and into the forest, jumping into the nearby trees, their movements once more a mirror image of each other. Team Kakashi were behind them, but travelled at a slower pace.

Naruto glanced over at Deidara, who nodded. Both of them jumped up to the higher boughs of the trees, and a little ahead, just so they would not be heard by Team Kakashi as they spoke to each other. Naruto raised a hand to his mask before hesitating, and lowering the limb.

"They're actually keeping a fair pace," he stated quietly, glancing behind at the three Konoha-nin. Deidara noted that his voice had lowered from its tenor to a more deep baritone, and wondered if it was some sort of disguise jutsu. He glanced over his shoulder, and realized that Naruto was right.

"Not bad, un," he stated. Naruto nodded, before sighing.

"I hope we can keep this pace for today if they're going to insist on a break." Deidara nodded knowingly, before, a thought came to mind.

"You know..." Naruto recognized that tone. He turned to face the blonde beside him. "You're technically a mercenary as far as they know, un," he whispered quietly, picking up his pace so that none of the others would here. "In other words, no one knows what your exact orders were, giving you more freedom. In other words, if I have to lead them, then you go ahead, un," he stated. "It's safer for you if you're closer to Kurama-sama."

Naruto thought about this for a moment, before glancing back. Deidara did have a point, he supposed. He frowned beneath his mask.

"Are you sure about that?" he questioned. Deidara shot him a half-hearted smirk.

"I'm not afriad to stretch the rules or find loopholes, un. Besides – we're the closest to Konan-san and Leader-sama. We can't afford to arrive too late, un." Those words triggered the reaction, and Naruto nodded in agreement. He masked his chakra until it was undetectable to even Deidara, although the Iwa-nin was beside him.

"I'll go. Tell them." Deidara nodded, and slowed his pace slightly, dropping about two feet behind the Uzumaki. Naruto nodded, and dashed forward, before melting into the sparse shadow until Deidara could not see him, even with his scope.

The Iwagakure missing-nin blinked, his lips cuving up slightly in appreciation of the skill that was put to use. Naruto was nowhere to be found, or even sensed. The only thing that told him the blonde was still close by, was the blonde's presence, which was almost tangible to him.

He fell back further, until he was only a few feet before Team Kakashi. He spoke nary a word, but carried on in a more manageable pace for them, trusting that Naruto would be able to reach Kurama before the afternoon struck. After all, the two could still communicate, even over long distances.

"Deidara-kun," The Iwa-nin glanced back at the silver-haired shinobi. For a moment, he couldn't believe the nerve of the man, but since he was going to help, Deidara supposed a small thing like an honourific didn't really matter.

"Un?"

"Did Kitsune-san tell you what he's doing?" he questioned. Deidara frowned. He turned his head to face the trees before him.

"Kitsune-san has gone ahead. We will meet him at the site, un," Deidara replied. There was silence behind him.

"Aren't we all working as a team though?" Sakura wondered out loud. Deidara's one visible eye slid back to glance at her out of the corner of his vision.

"Kitsune-san is a renown mercenary of the five great shinobi nations, un. He has no team." Deidara's gaze fixated on the foliage before him, almost ignoring the three behind him.

Technically, he was telling the truth. Naruto hadn't worked with his teammates for seven years, although he had spoken a lot about them. He didn't have a designated 'team' per se, but he did have friends and allies.

Deidara sighed softly to himself. So much for asking the blonde to relax. He had no idea if this would turn out for better or for worse on the Uzumaki's part. The blonde was already just beginning to return to normal, but after this, he might retain his personality as Kitsune, instead of Naruto.

The arsonist continued to leap from branch to branch, sunlight and shadow fluctuating on his navy clothing. He frowned, frustration rolling off his body in waves. If only he hadn't been specifically assigned to lead the other three...

"You." Deidara's frown morphed into something of a scowl.

"Sasuke."

"Where is Itachi?" Deidara's jaw clenched as he caught the loathing in the younger Uchiha's voice. If only he knew... But Itachi had obviously kept it from everyone until Naruto for a reason. He closed his eyes for a moment, before opening them once more.

"I don't know, un."

"Liar!"

Deidara blinked as the Uchiha's pace sped up to him. He spared a side glance at the younger of the two brothers. He immediately decided that out of the two brothers, he favoured Itachi over Sasuke. He gritted his teeth. And there was that damn Sharingan again.

"I don't think he'll be where we're headed, un. He was sent somewhere else," Deidara responded truthfully, forcing himself to keep his composure. He was already riled up enough about the entire situation as it was. He didn't need the Uchiha's help.

"Well then where is he? You work in the same organization as he does, so why wouldn't you know?" Sasuke demanded. Deidara kept his gaze on the raven, but didn't reply. He didn't know where Itachi and Kisame had been dispatched to, but it seemed like that answer wouldn't satisfy the Uchiha.

"We work independently, idiot, un. Demanding things from me, arguing with me, or even killing me, won't get you an answer. If you want to find him, you'll have to wait, un," Deidara responded flatly, before picking up his speed, leaving the Uchiha a few feet behind him.

Thankfully, Sasuke didn't probe any further. If he did, then Deidara probably would have lost his composure. The Iwa-nin, sighed, and glanced up at the sky, just to see a V of birds fly overhead. His eyes drifted back forward.

He blinked as a dark grey fox with black accents on its muzzle, forehead, ears, legs, and tail jumped towards him. It jumped onto his shoulders and draped itself around them like a scarf. He found himself staring into icy calm blue eyes.

"Ah, you must be Deidara."Deidara nodded in reponse. The fox relaxed. "I am An'ya, a kuchiyose of Naruto-sama's. He sent me to you so that he could pinpoint where you are."Deidara nodded once again, allowing himself to grow accustomed to the weight around his neck.

"All right then, un," he murmured in response. "By the way...where is Naruto?" The fox raised her head for a moment, her ears perked up, before she relaxed once more.

"Naruto-sama is a fair distance away from us. He is about a thousand and three hundred metres away from the border of the Land of Fire. Kurama-sama has realized he is coming, and is waiting for him there."she replied.

He nodded, and sped up his pace slightly, his hair flying out behind him as he leapt from limb to limb.

"Deidara-kun, slow down. You'll only waste your stamina if you continue to run at that speed." Deidara frowned. He knew himself better than anyone else – this pace wouldn't be too difficult to maintain. It was probably too fast for the rest of Team Kakashi, though.

"Fine, un." He slowed down slightly, until he was once again a few feet ahead of them. He glanced back, his glare evident, before turning away once more.

"I can't remember you Akatsuki being so tightly-knit, Deidara-san," Sakura pointed out. The blonde frowned, and his gaze dropped to the ground. That was before Naruto had become their family. Before that they were only alliances who didn't trust each other. Now they were family.

He exhaled, and raised his gaze, which was, by now, more determined than before. He had never been wanted by his blood family, and now that he had another one, he wasn't about to lose those people either. It would really be something he wouldn't be proud of if the person who had knitted them together did all the work for them.

"It doesn't matter who we are or what we've done, un, he stated, without looking back. "We're still human, and that can't change." He fell silent, and glanced over at the fox draped down to his collarbone. She wasn't very big, but he supposed that was something to be thankful for. He watched as a single blue eye opened to stare up at him.

"Naruto-sama knows what he's doing – that's why we foxes agreed on a contract. I am only here because he asked me to be here. I wonder. Do you deserve my respect? Are you able to gain the respect of a fox?"she questioned, somewhat haughtily. Deidara chuckled slightly.

"I don't know about respect, but I know that I can earn the tolerance of a fox, un," he replied quietly. Was it just his imagination, or did he spot hints of a smirk on her face? He blinked. It could have been his imagination, but then again, it could be real. Foxes were clever creatures.

He stared at her for a while longer, but her eyes were now closed as if feigning sleep. He wasn't about to try the patience of his only link to the Uzumaki at the moment. He glanced up at the sky. It was still late morning.

He glanced back at the rest of Naruto's former team. He pulled off his gloves, and allowed his hands to begin to make a quick sculpture for him. It would be faster if they travelled the way he normally did, and they wouldn't grow tired as easily.

He slowed his pace slightly, and waited for the sculpture to form into what he wished. He frowned. It didn't take this long all those other times...then again, maybe it was only because he was impatient this time. For all he knew, it could have only been a minute or so.

He frowned, willing his mouths to finish the modelling quickly. He frowned, and drew out of his bag of clay a small bird. He glanced back at Team Kakashi. "If we travel through the air, it'll be faster, and we won't waste as much energy, un," he stated. He threw the clay sculpture into the air, and formed the seal of confrontation.

The small bird grew in proportion to something much larger. It swooped down, and Deidara jumped onto its back, taking An'ya, and setting her on the clay bird's body. He motioned for the other three to follow.

At first they hesitated, before Sakura jumped onto the clay bird's back, followed by Kakashi, and a little later, by Sasuke. Deidara navigated the clay creature upwards until they were flying above the forest. He glanced back at the trio.

"Kitsune-san's summon has been sent to us so that we can know where he is and vice-versa. Her name is An'ya," he stated motioning to the fox, who sat calmly at the head of the clay bird. She gave no sign of acknowledgement, apart from a brief flick of her ear.

He turned to face the front. "By now, Kitsune-san should be close to the border of the Land of Fire." He could hear a small gasp of shock behind him from the pink-haired kunoichi.

"But...how is that possible for someone to travel so quickly? He was with us only about fifteen minutes back!" Deidara sighed.

"Like I said, Kitsune-san is a mercenary for the five great shinobi nations, and he has worked with the Akatsuki as well. He is not merely an ordinary shinobi." He stared over the seemingly endless expanse of woodland. If only they knew who Kitsune really was...

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That was a little longer than expected~ Ah well, I hoped you like it! Next chapter featuring Kurama on the battleground! Now how did they get there so fast, I wonder... Reviews are love!


	13. Chapter 12

Hello once again, and welcome to chapter 12~ technically chapter 13, but whatever. Thank you for all the faves/follows/review, again! It's giving gasoline to my mental car~

Naruto has gone ahead to catch up with Kurama while Deidara has stayed back with Team Kakashi. The battlefield is reached and the battle is turning bad for the Akatsuki. Who knows how long it stretched for. Naruto is given the job of protecting the statue until Team Kakashi arrives while Kurama is keeping some of the enemy occupied. Who knew being in an enclosed space could be such a disadvantage?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 12: Prejudice

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Naruto continued to jump from bough to bough, his eyes fixated before him, seeming to not show any hint of looking, much less turning back. He frowned. Deidara was rather far behind. It wasn't like the blonde to lag. Maybe it was his ex-teammates.

Naruto sighed. He said nothing, however, and continued to dash forward. He could feel the presence of his mentor growing stronger, meaning he was close to wherever Kurama was at the moment. He sped up slightly, and cast a brief glance around his surroundings.

The dense forest was beginning to thin out, signifying that he must be fairly close to the border. That was favourable. That meant he'd be able to get to the site of the ambush before night fell. Hopefully Deidara and Team Kakashi would be able to join soon enough.

Or perhaps they wouldn't get that chance at all. To be honest, that would be more preferable than having them fight. Naruto bit his lip. It wasn't that he doubted their abilities they were all immensely skilled. It was just that he didn't want any of them to do anything unnecessarily risky.

He frowned, and continued to dash forward as he felt the rift between him and Deidara widening. It seemed like the Iwa-nin had begun to pick up speed, but he knew he had to make haste himself unless he arrive too late. He hoped he didn't. He wondered how Konan and Pein were doing, holding out against the unexpected assuage.

He dropped to the ground, and glanced around for a moment, before beginning to run through the forest ground. He knew he should be close enough to the border by now, and that meant that he could move more freely along the forest floor.

He spotted the familiar long red hair ahead and sped up until he matched his sensei's pace. He gazed through his mask at the Kyuubi, and caught the gaze returned at him. He sighed, and looked around once more before turning back to Kurama.

"How much longer will it take at this pace, Kurama-sama?" he questioned. The demon lord turned his head to face forward, his scarlet mane flying out behind him. After a moment, the Kyuubi turned back to face him.

"At this rate, we're going to meet mass destruction," he replied. "Do you think you can quicken your pace?" he questioned. Naruto remained silent for a brief moment, before nodding. His movements sped up to even more of an inhuman pace, which was easily met by Kurama.

"Kurama-sama...we should be nearby. What's going on?"

The fox demon seemed to be ignoring him, but Naruto could tell that he was merely searching for any sign of what could possibly be going on. From the look in the redhead's eyes, it couldn't possibly be anything good. Naruto's frown deepened, but he waited silently nonetheless.

"The Six Paths have been released. Their focus is not on attack, but defence, as the Gedo statue cannot be broken." Naruto frowned, and his eyes narrowed.

"Who are they fighting?" he questioned laconically. Kurama blinked for a moment, his eyes darkening, and their pupils narrowing.

"The snake and his lackeys. Enough to fight the six paths and the girl one against one."

"Is that all?" Kurama shook his head.

"The medic is also there, but he's refraining from battling." Naruto nodded.

His eyes narrowed beneath his mask and he glanced up at the sky. At this rate, it would take him longer than normal! He growled in frustration, and contemplated on speeding up further. Quickly, he decided against it, however, as he knew that doing so would result in a severe loss of stamina by the time he arrived at his destination.

"How well are they doing?" he asked abruptly. He waited for his response, but received none. Gritting his teeth, he shot forward, despite the consequences. Some things were just worth more than himself, and this was definitely one of them.

He could vaguely sense the slight surprise radiating from his sensei, allowing him to gain a few metres distance. However, that wasn't saying much, and soon Kurama was at his side once more. Something he would admit to being thankful for. He knew that his hotheadedness still existed, and it was good to know that there was someone who would keep him in line without hurting him.

Wind whipped at his hair and clothing, but it did nothing to mute the roaring off blood in his ears, even as his eyes grew deeper in hue. To a mere onlooker, it would be nothing but a shadow speeding past, almost intangible to all senses but sight.

His eyes whipped warily from side to side as they flew out of the woods and onto flat grassland. This was the perfect place for open battle, but not for stealth, as there was next to no cover. That could be both a positive and a negative, depending on the skills of the shinobi. There was no place for them to hide, but neither was there any place for their enemies to hide.

Naruto growled as his footsteps grew faster. His eyes narrowed so that his vision would not be impaired due to his speed. That did not aid him much at all to his dismay. He reached forward with a tanned hand, and tore his digits into the air before him, as if on instinct.

Immediately, the air before him seemed to disintegrate in a manner that seemed almost psychedelic in its dissolution. Kurama blinked in surprise as Naruto ran into the black void of space that had been torn into the atmosphere before it was sewn back together.

The demon lord's eyes flashed, as did his Hakaigan, as an arabesque motif, crimson in colour, extended from both sides of the jewel along the length of his forehead. With a flash, it settled there, seeming for all the world like an exquisite coronet wrapping around his head.

He sped forward, a grim vulpine smirk crawling onto his lips as he covered impossibly large ground in mere moments. His wild hair whipped out behind him like a frayed red cord, His yukata flying back, making the seal on his chest fully visible.

He slowed to an abrupt stop as he neared the site of the upheaval. The monstrous sparks of chakra erupting from the cavern accommodating the Gedo statue spoke volumes, and none of it was good. Kurama's eyes narrowed, as he ran for the battle ground.

Normally he wasn't one to drive himself into the trivial affairs of humans, but even he realized how serious this was. Any other time, he would allow the Uzumaki to do whatever he wished while he merely watched on, but there were some situations that called for more than just onlookers.

His arm stretched out from his side, and into it materialized a scythe. He grabbed it, and stood on the edge of the wrecked cave, which had collapsed. Somehow, the people within it were seemed to be unharmed by the destruction.

He stood there silently, searching the cavern, until he spotted the snake-sannin, who seemed all too pleased with the newcomers. A scowl curved onto the demon lord's features, as he took the blade of the scythe, which was a simple black instrument, and slammed it deep into the ground.

"You all disgust me," he growled, his eyes flashing. The ground cracked beneath him, and from those cracks emerged wisps of black that wouldn't have seemed like much. That is, until they headed for the seven who were on a mission for the Gedo statue, and sank into their skin.

Kurama growled, and pulled the scythe out of the ground. His empty left hand raised itself, and the Sound Five immediately ceased to fight. However, Kabuto and Orochimaru seemed fine, and perhaps even interested in the proceedings.

The demon lord continued to raise his hand, and the mouths of the Sound Five gaped open as if someone was strangling them. Kurama's pupils narrowed further, and his Hakaigan glinted almost malevolently.

Naruto stepped back, supporting an exhausted Konan against his body, her arm slung over his shoulders as he watched in awe. Was his mentor about to put an end to a battle that had almost destroyed two of the Akatsuki members in moments?

The black wisps began to climb from the throats of the Sound five, seeming even darker, and far more evil than they had before. Naruto made a note to ask his sensei about it when this entire charade was over. He frowned, as Konan almost fell over, and shifted his weight to better support her.

Kurama was ready to put an end to the battle, but to his surprise, four the Sound Five's mouths snapped shut, and the black from the wisps that had been departing out of their mouths moved to their sclerae, effectively dyeing them black. The survivors' lips curved into malicious smirks, as all of them turned to the redhead of the two newcomers.

Kurama frowned, but continued further until the remaining white-haired member who was not able to escape fell to the ground, the wisp returning back to Kurama's side, absorbed with ease by the scythe within his grip.

Kurama's jaw clenched. This would not be as easy at it first seemed to be then. And now, it seemed as though the situation had grown worse. He sighed, and the scythe within his hand disintegrated. It was soon replaced by a kusarigama, whose sickle was an icy blue, but weight a burning red.

Kurama slowly began to rotate the weight with his left hand as the Sound Four leapt at him. The rotations grew faster until the weighted end of the chain was nothing but a red-orange circle around a plate of black.

He growled, and hurled the weighted end of the weapon at them while they were all in midair. The chain was unusually long for a kusarigama, but fell short of his targets by about three feet, instead, drawing a bright orange line in the air before all of them, leaving a coloured arc, as the weight sailed back down.

Kurama raised his hand in the seal of confrontation, still holding the chain. Immediately, the pale reddish fragments of glowing ember which remained burst into violent flames, too fast for the Sound Four to avoid.

Kurama lowered the weight in satisfaction at the howls he heard, before raising the sickle. Red chakra began to flow through the chain, and he extended the length of chain from the sickle. Taking that, he raised it, and threw it.

Using his chakra to manipulate the weapon, he allowed the blade to cut through the flames, effectively cutting a sizeable gash into all of the Sound four members as they fell to the ground before him. He raised his hands once more, and the cuts began to crystallize instead of scab over.

Kurama allowed this to continue for a little while, before retracting his weapon once more. He sufficiently incapacitated them in a way more painful than meets the eye, and turned to glance over at Orochimaru.

To his dismay, he didn't see either of the two anywhere. His eyes scanned around the place for a moment, before landing on the spot where Naruto had been watching while supporting Konan. His eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing kit? Behind you!" The anger and frustration radiating off the masked figure spoke volumes, and Kurama realized that the blonde most likely couldn't move. He growled, and ran for the pair, striking away the ash-haired shinobi with nothing but a clenched fist, casing a few cracks in the rock where Kabuto landed.

The fox demon laid a hand on the blonde's forehead, even though his limb toughed nothing but the mask. Soon enough, Naruto could once again move, and nodded gratefully. Konan had fallen unconscious sometime through the entire thing.

Naruto glanced around, and spotted the six corpses. Oh, that couldn't possibly be a good thing. He sprang into the air, and threw a punch at the unsuspecting snake-sannin's face, knocking him to the ground, where Kurama then rammed his heel onto him, cracking his ribs.

The snake sannin gagged on his own blood as it dripped out of his mouth. His mouth then opened wide to disturbing proportions as he pushed himself out of it, and jumped away, an infuriating smirk on his face.

Naruto frowned, and stood atop the Gedo statue's head, seven orbs of raw chakra surrounding him just in case Orochimaru attempted anything once again. He knew they had to put an end to this and soon, but he could not afford to further harm anyone within here, enemy or not.

His masked face surveyed the wreckage that had been dealt to the cave, and once more wondered at the fact that Kurama was able to deal so easily against five that even the Akatsuki found difficult to beat. Then again, his mentor was not human. Not only that, he ruled the realm of demons. His power was on a whole different scale.

"My, has the Akatsuki recruited two new members?" Orochimaru asked, smirking. Neither of the two wanted to dignify him with a response. Kurama's face contorted into a disgusted expression at the sannin, but he spoke nary a word.

"Ah...we may have underestimated you," Orochimaru continued. To the shock of both Kurama and Naruto, although the only thing that gave it away was the slight widening of their eyes, the Sound Four stood on their feet, before turning to face the pair.

Tayuya cackled before raising her flute to her lips, despite the blood that had begun to flow from her crystallized wound. Naruto quickly performed a few seals, and raised his hands as though placing them flat on a wall.

"Heaven Style: Mirror of Inflection," he whispered. A flat disk of light shot out from his hands, and slammed into her before she could get a note out of her instrument. He glanced down at Kurama, who smirked in a manner that could almost count as sadistic.

Dodging an attack from Jirobou and pulling Konan with him, he picked up to fallen kunai, and clashed the blades together, dragging out a long ear-piercing shriek. Everyone alive and conscious within the room flinched, but Tayuya screamed.

Kurama could have laughed. Naruto really did have a certain knack for handling ironic justice. He glanced over at the twin brothers, who still hadn't made a move, and noting that another with extra arms had begun to make his way towards Naruto, Orochimaru falling behind.

He sat the unconscious Konan against a rock, his smirk fading. Currently, the were at a disadvantage, as they were outnumbered five to two. While it would be easy to obliterate the five of them, it was something that couldn't be done for fear of breaking the Gedo statue.

While that did mean releasing some of the demons he'd known for a long time, that also could mean certain destruction to humankind. While it did sound appealing, he knew he couldn't allow it. Not when a certain Uzumaki had taught him about the strange ways of a human.

Kurama growled and pulled out the two glaives, readying himself for the remaining three, Tayuya looking fit to murder anyone who stood in her path be it friend or foe. Then again, one couldn't be too sure that these people were even friends in the first place. They didn't act too much like it.

Kurama, hissed slightly as that damned flute began to play once more. Unfortunately, he was not human, so its range was not within him. He growled as she then summoned her Doki, using her flute to control them.

He almost felt offended that she thought she could fight him with those brainless things that had to be controlled with a flute, of all things. He supposed he did look rather like a human, but that didn't mean he was.

He didn't have much more time to muse on this, as he was then attacked by the two separated bodies of the boy with two heads. He growled. They were nowhere near his level, but he had to limit his actions or risk the consequences. He hated those situations.

After a moment's though, he began to twirl Yang with one hand, while countering the physical attacks that were thrown at him with counterattacks of his Yin. He threw a rotating Yang with a slight curve to his hurl, and it sheared a gash into the necks of the three Doki, causing them to roar in pain and attack him.

He allowed the white weapon to fall to the ground, before releasing his control on it, and allowing the chakra to dive deep within the ground while searching for an exit. Using Yin, he stabbed the blade into the arm of Jirobou who, while he was very strong, was not in any way tactful.

At the last moment, he pulled Yin out of the male's flesh, jumping away as raw chakra broke free of the ground, and cut upwards, shearing through whatever was in its path. He landed a good distance away, revelling in the inhuman shrieks, before running over to the fallen glaive, and calling control over it.

He sensed a presence dangerously close to him, and he jumped away, just as the grotesque figures of the two brothers grabbed at him. Twisting his body in midair, he swung two separate violent waves of raw chakra at them, unfortunately missing due to their reflexes.

He glanced back at the other two who were on the ground as well. To his surprise, they were able to stand up. That was a surprise. Although his smirk returned as he saw that the new wounds that had been cut into them by the chakra had begun to crystallize as well, and the blood dripping from the corners of their mouths showed that they had been weakened.

Those three troll creatures were gone, however, and for that he was thankful. Although he knew that he could pound them to mulch instantly, it was easier to fight four people simultaneously rather than fight seven simultaneously.

He silently wondered how Naruto was faring. Although Kurama had the weightier load, the blonde had to stop Orochimaru from reaching the eyes of the Gedo statue while fighting Kidomaru off him. Kurama frowned. He knew that the Uzumaki was extremely capable, although not yet as strong as he was. Still that didn't hide the intuition that something was wrong.

He glanced around the destroyed cave as he dodged the strikes thrown at him with ease, not allowing any to graze even a thread of his garments. The most he could do at the moment was distract them to keep them from aiding the snake.

He frowned as he glanced at the six paths, all of them having been cut off from their controller, as well as the unconscious Konan. His eyes drifted back to the Sound Four, who advanced on him once more. His jaw clenched.

He didn't understand how humans could brand demons as evil beings when there existed among their own kind people like this. Demons had previously had nothing against humans. They were a peaceful kind. That was, until humans grew power-hungry, and tried to exhaust the chakra reserves of a demon and keep it for themselves.

Then the council had run to action, only to find themselves in the same position as he – sealed within a human. From humans, they had learned of evil. They had learned of true hatred and malevolence. Bitterness, jealousy, and revenge. It had all been the humans who had taught them of such things.

And now the demons had retreated into hiding in a realm where a normal human could not reach. The council had been sealed into humans as if to bridle and control the power within them. It was pathetic, but there were times when quantity could beat quality.

Kurama stared at the black sclerae of the four that once again attempted a collaboration attack on him. He jumped out of harms way, his eyes narrowing. If they had the power to not only break free of, but absorb what he had attacked them with earlier, then they truly existed as beings who did not _know_ but _were_ hatred personified.

He practically ricocheted off whatever flat surface he dodged to due to the speed of their attacks. It truly would have been an amusing sight, was this not an amusing situation in the slightest. He glanced up at Naruto, using his instinct to continue dodging attacks.

He could see that the spider-boy was hurling multiple weapons at the blonde, forcing Naruto to move away, while Orochimaru drew closer to the head of the Gedo statue. Kurama's eyes narrowed, and he dodged a particularly powerful attack that left the ground shaking.

A silver bow appeared in his hand, and he slung it over his shoulder as he dodged four attacks in rapid succession. Summoning chakra from all the existing natures, he compressed it into the shape of a glowing rod.

Not having much time to do anything else, he jumped out of harms way just as a hole was created in the wall that he had been standing before a split-second before. He slipped the rod of raw chakra against the bowstring, twisting it around his index and middle fingers to hold it in place.

Stopping momentarily, he took aim and released the chakra arrow, before sidestepping as the ground where he had stood before became a sickly looking scorched black. He watched as the force that the bow had given caused the arrow to stab the boy's waist.

He waited, and ducked as flames blew where his head had previously been. Sure enough, the force, plus the chakra, blew Kidomaru out of the cave entirely, as the roof had collapsed in on the cavern a long time before.

Satisfied, he left the blonde to deal with Orochimaru, as he turned back to the other four, who looked even more infuriated than they had been a moment ago. He blinked, before chuckling slightly, his pupils narrowing to mere slits.

He didn't speak, but continued to dodge the attacks. At least he had managed to send one of them off. He had only chose to deal with the one attacking Naruto, because that one had nothing but the sky above him. The attack would have nowhere to hit but Kidomaru. Unfortunately, he couldn't do the same with the rest of the Sound Four, as there were walls, and the ground which he couldn't afford to destroy.

He wondered if he should make his move yet. He hadn't done anything much but dodge, and he knew that if the enemy were doing the same with him, he would have gotten frustrated a long time ago. He supposed he could make his move already.

Reaching behind his back, he allowed himself the illusion of looking like he was pulling out a giant folding fan. However, it was not the typical one. Instead, it was deep red in colour with blue crowning the edges. The design upon it was an arabesque pattern of gold. It did, however, have the typical iron frame used it fighting fans.

Unfolding it entirely, he held it up with one hand, and began to whirl around in a circle, fan outstretched. He made no move to step any closer to them however. As he continued to do so, the temperature in the cavern dropped rapidly.

He continued to spin until he deemed it enough. Slowing to a stop, he took the fan in both hands, and surveyed his surroundings. He folded the fan, and stood calmly, waiting for them to attack him. The fact that he was acting so nonchalantly with them seemed to make them grow even more outraged than they already were.

He glanced at the ground before him, and waited. They ran at him – only to fall. He allowed himself to revel in the amusing sight. Now that they knew what he had done, they would be able to counter it, but he wouldn't lie to himself. The fact that the ice was clear made it all the more amusing.

He unfolded the fan, and gave it a slight wave, coaxing fire from its tips. He swept the fire-tipped fan in a wide arm, shooting the burning flames at his opposition. It was countered with a suiton jutsu. The fact that the fire had melted the ice as well formed a thin layer of water beneath their feet.

Kurama took the fan once more, and swept it vertically this time, the strong wind from the weapon causing the water to rise and drench the four. Kurama withdrew the fan, and stood there, his arms crossed.

He supposed he could kill them...it would save a lot of time and trouble. Besides – that meant when Team Kakashi and Deidara arrived, then the pink-haired kunoichi could heal Konan, and gather the Six Paths of Pain.

He raised his gaze and jumped upwards simultaneously to avoid an earth style attack, before nodding. He should probably do that. Besides – the longer these sort of people lived, the worse it would be for others.

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Well~ I suck at battle scenes, and unfortunately, it hasn't been going the way I want it to. The next chapter was a failure on my part, but more character retrospect is all right, I guess~ Ah well, see you then! And remember, reviews are love 3


	14. Chapter 13

Hello everyone! Chapter Thirteen, yosh~ Thank you once again for faves/follows/reviews (even silent support is appreciated ;D)

Xendrax: It's perfectly all right~ There are these things called lives that I apparently don't have ;) And thanks for taking time to review! You're right - Kurama kicks major ass~

Strung up in having to defend a statue? How does Naruto fulfil his job this time? He's giving it a rather good try, but it doesn't matter how hard he does. Orochimaru has decades of experience on his side. The Uzumaki is wise enough to try and form a strategy this time around, but can Kurama keep the enraged Sound Four at bay?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I do, however, own the plot. So there. Nyah.

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That I May Protect

Chapter 13: When Snakes Strike

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Naruto breathed out a small sigh as Kurama sent half of his opposition flying. He spared a brief glance down at the demon lord, and was surprised to see him...playing?..with his opponents. Naruto chuckled slightly to himself, and summoned his two katana from the scrolls he kept on his being.

Slicing away a disgustingly large quantity of snakes, doubtless meant for distraction, he leapt down at the sannin who was dangerously close to the one place where he didn't want him to be. Naruto scowled, and slashed at him in rapid succession, timing his attacks carefully.

Unfortunately, Orochimaru was not one of the Three Legendary Sannin for nothing. Naruto found his blades easily deflected. However, it was enough to knock the sannin from his perch on one of the jagged edges of rock that had crumbled along with the roof of the cave, and onto the hands of the Gedo statue.

He didn't utter a single sound as he continued his onslaught. He blinked as another barrage of snakes flew at him. He readied himself to quickly decapitate them, but they swept past his head. His eyes widened as he realized they were flying towards the statue.

He jumped upwards, and infused a larger amount of chakra into his arms as well as his blades, as he hacked down into the large amount of the scaly reptiles.

He frowned. But they were only snakes, right? They couldn't possibly be strong enough to shatter the eyes... He turned back to the sannin, who was smirking once more. Naruto gritted his teeth. He hated that smirk.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly, and he quickly ran three metres parallel to where he had been standing just before a powerful gust of fire rode past him, the immese heat scorching the edges of his haori. That was the same technique Orochimaru had used seven years ago...Naruto was beginning to spawn his suspicions.

Naruto brandished his two katana, but didn't make a move. This called for strategizing. After all, he was fighting one of the most powerful ninja in existence – underestimating the damn snake could be the biggest of his mistakes.

He frowned. He knew that Orochimaru was trying to get past him with the least amount of conflict, but Naruto would jump headfirst into a trap if it would mean the snake sannin wouldn't reach the statue. His eyes flickered over to Konan, and he barely dodged a futon attack that left him struggling for balance.

He knew the difference between his strength and Kurama's strength was still great – he was nowhere near the Kyuubi's level. He just hoped that his strength was enough for this. Back-up would be nice too, but the fighting had only just began. For all he knew, he could be trapped in this position for another day.

His lack of movement turned out to be his worst as he found an onslaught of snakes curling around his body, some having already bitten him. He hissed from the sting of the bites, before allowing his chakra to leak from his body.

He remembered that first lesson Kurama had taught him about chakra, and also the story that he had been told nine years ago when he had first met the fox demon. He waited for a few moments, before recoiling slightly in disgust as the snakes writhed animatedly for a moment before melting into a strange substance that he wouldn't forget for a long time.

After all, Kurama had said that the chakra of a demon was much stronger than that of a human. Since Naruto's chakra was compatible and had mixed with Kurama's that meant exposure to his chakra for a certain period of time could cause radiation poisoning. Not to mention the heat emanating from the raw substance increased the level of harmfulness.

He growled as he saw that Orochimaru had taken advantage of the time he had needed for the elimination of the snakes that had been veritably covering his body. He shuddered at the viscous substance that had previously been the snakes, and wished that he had worn gloves.

Still, there were some things more important than what he had chosen to wear, primarily stopping the snake sannin, who seemed to be growing impatient with the entire situation. Oh what he would have done for a little help.

But he knew that Kurama was merely keeping the rest of the remaining Sound Four away from him, trusting that he could somehow keep Orochimaru from the statue. Naruto's lips curved into a scowl beneath his mask as he partially lowered his mask.

Drawing Yin alone from his Hakaigan, he hurled the weapon at Orochimaru, keeping in mind the fact that he needed to keep the chakra flow under control for the time being or at least...

He hissed as he missed his target, due to the fact that the snake sannin had dodged. The weapon lodged itself with the wall, and Naruto quickly recalled the weapon. He knew the usage of more complex techniques would only result in the destruction of their surroundings, which was the last thing he needed.

He knew he couldn't afford to be hit with any form of attack, especially not the seal that had been placed on him before that had cut off his access to his chakra. He hadn't used too much of it, but he needed to strike down the snake.

Jumping toward's Orochimaru, his eyes widened as the sannin's mouth gaped open, and the sword of Kusanagi appeared, hilt first. Naruto gritted his teeth. What could break through the sword that could break through almost anything, apart from the sword itself?

He shook his head. Now wasn't the time to think in a gratuitous manner. He reached out, and tore into the air before him, before leaping into the black abyss without so much as a second thought. He didn't understand what exactly he was doing, and made a mental note to ask Kurama about it when this was over.

The thin air before the statue tore open, and Naruto leapt towards Orochimaru, twin glaives outstretched. He simultaneously slashed at the snake sannin with both weapons, the speed of the attack leaving two glowing arcs of black and white chakra respectively, hanging in the air.

Orochimaru swiped with the Kusanagi in order to counter and break the two weapons that were swung at him. Naruto allowed the chakra to leak slightly, and used them in their non weapon form to constrict around the snake sannin's body.

However, he could not keep a decent hold on that, as the longsword was once more swung at him. He was, however, happy to see that there was now blood seeping steadily from the body of the snake. He dropped down onto a ridge on the statue's jaw, glancing up as Orochimaru too was knocked down from midair.

He watched as the snake shedded its skin to reveal the sannin, without a single sound or injury of any sort. Naruto scowle. He still didn't have enough experience fighting with the likes of the snake sannin. He didn't know the full extent of his abilities.

If only they weren't in a cave! Then Nauto would have the freedom to do whatever he wished. Unfortunately, just like Kurama, he had to severely limit his abilities to something that was almost that of a regular shinobi, all for the sake of keeping this statue intact.

He hissed in irritation, and allowed himself a brief glance at the ground. His eyes widened as he spotted Kabuto running for Konan. He glanced up at Orochimaru once more, and frowned. His eyes drifted down to the ash-haired ninja, before gazing up once more.

He glanced over at Kurama, but he realized that his mentor was preoccupied enough as it was. He bit his lip, drew in a deep breath, hoped that he would not be making the world's biggest mistake as they all knew it.

Jumping down, he threw a flying kick at the medic, and grabbed Konan, who was still unconscious. He frowned. How far had she exerted herself just on this alone? Just how powerful had Orochimaru's lackey's become? He glanced up once more.

To his horror, Kusanagi was already swung towards one of the statue's eyes. He drew out a few senbon, and incapacitated the ash-haired shinobi before drawing out chakra for a Kekkei Mora attack. He focused it just like he would a rasengan, before firing it.

He could see the snake sannin turn around, and smirk almost delightedly, before leaping out of the attack's way, despite its speed. Naruto could do nothing but watch in horror as his attack struck the statue – succeeding in driving a large crack through another one of the eyes.

He shook his head. No – he could not afford to lose his calm on this one. He had to stop this before Orochimaru got any further! Only six more strikes, and the snake sannin would turn the tables on them entirely.

Naruto growled, and glanced up at the sky. This hadn't even been stretching for that long – having to rely on Deidara and Team Kakashi now was fundamentally useless! But then again, he couldn't call his sensei either.

He knew that Kurama was not helping him for the sole reason of unintentionally aiding the enemy instead. Naruto was surprised enough to almost admit being shocked that the Sound Four had grown strong enough to withstand those attacks thrown at them. Naruto made a mental note to ask about those too – later.

He gritted his teeth as he leapt for Orochimaru, quietly willing Deidara to hurry. Even if he was strong, he knew perfectly well that not everything could be done singlehandedly. He glanced down at Konan, who he had left where he had previously stood, and hoped that Kabuto did not recover quickly from the expeditious attack that had been thrown at him.

Orochimaru's smirk was not the type that urged him to raise the stakes in the challenge. It was a smirk that infuriated him to the point of wanting to pulverize the snake sannin to extinction. Naruto wondered how Sasuke could manage to live under such a person. It seemed more of torment than training.

The sun was now high in the sky, signalling that it was midday. Naruto frowned as he drew out his Yin and Yang once more, knowing that he could not fight Kusanagi with a normal weapon. He strove to drive Orochimaru away from the statue.

He visibly winced as he heard a loud cracking behind him, and whirled around in midair to see the Sound Four minus Kidomaru attack the statue simultaneously. Of course, their strength from the curse mark made it more than easy to shatter stone like glass.

He could hear a howl from below him, and glanced down to see the look of utter outrage on Kurama's face. He turned back to Orochimaru who had the audacity to not even attempt a strike at him, nor did he try to remove his mask.

Naruto's jaw clenched, and his grip around his glaives tightened as he lifted one and jabbed it harshly in the snake sannin's direction. His rogue movement was easily countered and dodged by the snake, much to his rising ire.

He could feel Kurama heading for the four who were still laying waste to the eyes of the Gedo, and in turn, releasing something that should have better been contained within the statue. Naruto frowned. If they failed to complete this, then...

He growled lightly, and jumped away, retracting his weapons and forming a few seals in rapid succession before clapping his hands together. Focusing a sizeable amount of chakra into his attack, he jumped closer to Orochimaru, purposely giving himself a wide range to be attacked.

"Heaven Style: Gyre of Oblivion," he muttered underneath his breath. He reached out, and grabbed the snake sannin's shoulders, wrenching his head to face him. Naruto couldn't help but feel like he was dealing nicely with the snake. He frowned.

Letting the sannin fall, he jumped back to aid Kurama. He pulled out Yin and Yang, before attacking the closest one to him, which just happened to be Tayuya. He twirled his Yang in one hand, sending it flying towards her blind side.

Unfortunately for her, she was struck directly with the weapon, but not before she could inflict more damage onto another eye. He gazed at the statue for a brief moment. Two more left before disaster struck...he exchanged a look with the redhead.

"We can't afford to let them go on," Naruto murmured under his breath. The slow blink told him that the Kyuubi agreed. He frowned. He should have trained enough to channel his power to what was needed – neither an overkill, nor too little.

He frowned. Time seemed to slow for him as the immense power struck out yet another eye. They both knew they had to be careful, lest they be the cause of the final one's damage. He readied his glaives, and glanced over at Kurama.

The redhead didn't seem as desperate as he was, although he did seem unsure about something. Naruto chose not to question it. It would probably be taken as a stupid question on his part. Kurama had many reasons to do whatever he did – he wasn't someone to act gratuitously.

He growled, his mind jumbling together all the information that he had, and trying to form some sort of strategy from whatever scraps of knowledge he had of the three...well, technically four. The two headed one had become two separate bodies.

Then there was the problem of Orochimaru standing to their blind sides putting them at serious disadvantage, did he decide to attack. Naruto they were at a stalemate with the odds tilting dangerously in favour of their opposition.

His eyes widened as Jirobou and Ukon attacked the last eye, their strength from their cursed seals shattering the last eye completely. It was then that the crystallized wounds that had covered their bodies took over them, rendering them sufficiently incapacitated, locked within the impervious shells for a indeterminate period of time.

Naruto fell back, standing a little behind Kurama as the demon lord could do nothing but watch. His eyes widened as the bodies of the eight tailed beasts in their true form were released from their prison within the statue.

He felt a whisk by his face, and he whirled around to see Kabuto. The medic had that infuriating smirk on his face and Naruto had to refrain from attacking him. Naruto turned back to the surge of power before him, and his eyes widened as the tailed beasts seemed to be in some form of oblivion.

While their bodies were conscious, it didn't seem like their minds were in some way. He turned to Kurama, who merely stared. Finally, the two turned their backs to the eight others in the demon council of nine, and faced the medic, who seemed very sure of himself. Naruto snarled, and leapt at him, but before he could reach the ash-haired shinobi, he disappeared. Along with the Sound Four, Kimimaro, the demon council, and Orochimaru.

Naruto stared for a moment, before lowering his mask. He had done basically nothing during this entire situation, he realized. The least he could do at the moment was get Konan some medical attention, and locate the Six Paths of Pain.

He gritted his teeth. Even after all that training, he was still like this, wasn't he? Why? Even after all that, he really couldn't be of any use. He slid off his mask, and stared at it, his features furrowed in self-anger.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned to look at Kurama, who merely shook his head. Naruto gazed around the scene of destruction before lowering his gaze. No doubt Kurama was ashamed of him now. After all, the demon lord had taken the time to teach him for almost a decade, and this is what he turned out to be.

"Kit, look at me." Naruto hesitated, before turning to face his mentor. Kurama frowned. "You did well." Before Naruto could put up a half decent argument, Kurama raised a hand. "Although we didn't succeed in stopping them, you still did well, one on one against the snake." Naruto frowned.

"But-"

"Don't argue with me, kit! Normal attacks are next to useless against them. To fight with weapons is to have weapons that exceed normality. More powerful attacks were sure to result in disaster sooner." Naruto frowned.

"Are you saying that we were fighting a losing battle, Kurama-sama?" he questioned. The redhead looked around for a moment, his eyes roving over the destruction that had been caused in the cave, as well as the seven bodies littering the ground.

"Such a thing as a losing battle does not exist, kit. As long as you do not lose your will, there is always a way." He scowled. "This is only the beginning, kit. Worse things are to come. When those things do come to pass, you will be ready." Naruto sighed, and nodded. That still didn't shake the feeling of uselessness off his shoulders.

"Then we will report to Tsunade-sama. It's doubtless that they are looking for the ninth as well, and Konoha will once again become a target." Kurama nodded in agreement to the statement before looking around.

"We will ask your friends to help the girl. We need to revive connection with the six bodies." Naruto sighed, and walked over to Konan once more, only paying real mind to her, since she was actually alive as opposed to the six paths.

He checked for a pulse, and was relieved to feel that, although weak, it still existed. Kurama quickly herded up the six paths, and set them down in the centre. His hands moved into the tiger, and he merely stood there, channelling his chakra through the land, and searching for the seventh path.

Upon finding, he quickly reattached the chakra into the control and suppressors, before stepping back, and allowing the six to stand. Apart from the Deva path, the rest immediately ran off until they were next needed.

Kurama watched them go before turning to the remaining path, and dipping his head slightly in acknowledgement, before making to walk towards Naruto, who had hefted Konan up, her arm slung across his shoulder.

Naruto glanced over to Kurama, then Pein, before he slipped his mask back on his face, and turned towards the entrance of the cave.

"Let's get out of this place," he stated. Kurama nodded, and Pein slung Konan's other arm over his shoulders. Naruto sighed. "Kurama-sama, can you return to Konoha first, and inform Tsunade-sama of what happened? I'll catch up as soon as Deidara takes Konan-chan."

Kurama nodded, and immediately ran off. Naruto was surprised at the pace he was going – at this rate, he would get to Konoha before Naruto himself would. Naruto glanced over at Pein before beginning to walk towards the exit, Konan balanced between both of them.

"Pein-sama?" The orange-haired man turned to look at him. He took that as a sign to go on. "How strong were they?" he questioned. The Akatsuki leader turned his head back towards the exit.

"Immensely. We do not know what exactly Orochimaru has done with them, but they claimed that their strength came from all their hatred." Naruto's gaze lowered in thought.

"Hatred for what?" he questioned. Pein merely shook his head.

"Just that. Pure hatred, without reason." Naruto's features contorted into something of a scowl.

"They're weak," he snarled beneath his mask. "No strength comes from hatred – only the illusion of it. They will never be truly strong if that's all that they're fighting for – the sake of power, and for hatred alone."

Neither of them spoke a word after, both only collaborating to exit the cave. Once they did, however, Naruto settled Konan down, and glanced back over to the Ame-nin.

"What do they intend to do with all that chakra?" he questioned. Pein shook his head.

"The foolish. I do not know what goes on in the mind of that snake, neither do I want to, but whatever it is, it can tilt the shinobi world out of balance. The amount of power within those eight is immense." Naruto nodded slowly.

"I see..." He glanced upward at the sky, before frowning. "They're nearing. Good. Now we can get her some medical help, he stated." He closed his eyes for a moment, silently communicating with hi summons, before opening his eyes, and staring up at the sky.

The familiar sight of the giant clay bird appeared, and soon lowered to the ground. As soon as it did, the artist ran over to them, a clearly worried, and also even a little angry expression with his eyes as he saw caught sight of the Uzumaki, who looked badly burnt, although it was only his clothing. At the last moment however, the artist caught himself, and coughed slightly.

"Kitsune-san. Leader-sama. I see we arrived late, un." Naruto shook his head.

"It's almost inhuman to be able to travel here from Konoha in this span of time," he stated quietly, before motioning to Konan. He glanced over at the pink-haired kunoichi, who was standing to the side along with the rest of Team Kakashi. "Haruno-san. Hokage-sama has told me you are a medic. Please see to her – she needs medical assistance."

The kunoichi nodded, before kneeling down on the grass, and beginning to give aid to the Akatsuki member. Sasuke merely scowled at the entire scene.

"More Akatsuki? I want an explanation," he demanded. Naruto turned to look at him through his mask, his gaze cool, but piercing all the same.

"I have worked with them for years. They are friends of mine, and their enemies are mine," he stated calmly. He didn't want to be this way with Sasuke, his best friend, but Kakashi had told him that the raven needed a lesson in how to work together. The best way was to, roughly put, pound some humility through his thick skull.

"I never said I was you friend," Sasuke retorted. Naruto merely dipped his head slightly in response to the reply, and turned back to Sakura, completely ignoring the Uchiha.

"Kitsune-san, she's suffering extreme after-effects of chakra exhaustion," Sakura stated. Naruto nodded slowly. It would make sense that Konan would not allow herself to be killed so easily – she may have been kind to him and the other Akatsuki, but that in no way meant she couldn't also be one of their deadliest members.

"Very well then. Take her back to Konohagakure for extensive care." He glanced over at the rest of them, before turning to walk off.

He stopped for a moment, the late noon breeze blowing through his golden locks. He was beginning to wonder why he wasn't recognized by his hair, conspicuous as it was. He glanced over his shoulder at the group of six.

"When you return to Konoha, I expect Deidara-san and Pein-sama will want to be seen by Hokage-sama," he stated bluntly, before turning and running off. The two conscious members of the Akatsuki glanced at each other, before nodding in agreement.

Pein lifted Konan, and set her on the clay bird, before Sakura clambered on to continue her healing process. The rest of them followed, and no one noticed, but An'ya had dissipated from the entire scene. Deidara glanced over the forest, realizing that Naruto had vanished.

The long-haired blonde chuckled slightly, but there was nothing in the sound that merited humour of any sort. He glanced down at Konan, before looking over at Pein who, although conscious, seemed in worse wear after the brawl.

There had been no sign of anyone else when they had arrived, meaning one one of two things. They had either succeeded, or failed. He hated to even give a single thought towards the notion, but from the looks of things, the latter was the more likely of the two outcomes.

He glanced ahead, as he guided the clay bird over the land, and towards the dense forests of the Land of Fire. He knew all about the organization, although all of its members were something not yet evident to him. Still, he couldn't help but wonder. What exactly were they up against?

* * *

I just realized I killed Kimimaro. Why did I do that? I like that guy! Ah well. Dead men tell no tales I suppose. Poor Sasuke, I think he feels left out. Please review!


	15. Chapter 14

Bonjour mes amis~ Chapter 14 up! *throws confetti* I thought I knew what I was doing...but my mind does something completely different, so I read over what I've done and all I can say is what the hell is this?! Ah well.

Xendrax: Yeah, I know. But still, I wish I could keep Kimi alive for this one. Looks like that wasn't the case. As for Naruto and Kurama's relationship, I know it's more of a teacher student thing, but hopefully will change sooner or later, namely the next chapter~ And yes, it is like Kurama to say profound things that will get your gears turning, isn't it?

Return and report. The only downside is that the report leaves much to be desired. Is this failure or...? Conversation between Deidara and Sasuke. How...exciting.

Disclaimer: I disclaim Naruto. Simple.

* * *

That I May Protect

Chapter 14: Behind Open Eyes

* * *

As the six flew on the back of the clay avian, Deidara kept his eyes fixated forward, concentrating on travelling as fast as possible with the weight of two extra people on the creature. After all, he was only used to having himself upon its back alone, so more people merited a considerable amount of concentration as well.

He glanced back briefly at Sakura, who had by then finished with what she could do at the moment. His eyes slid back forward once more. "How is she, un?" he questioned. He frowned. Who knew the snake himself would have decided to step in, and so soon.

Then again, it did make sense. After all, the Sword of Kusanagi could cut through almost anything – stone was no problem for it. And that strange emptiness he had felt surrounding the cavern...that meant only one thing, and that one thing was not good at all.

"Like I said, she'll be fine. I don't know for how long she's been fighting, but all it's done is take massive toll on her physical strength – nothing too serious," the pink-haired nin assured. He nodded, but didn't bother turning back.

The Six Paths of Pain and Konan were not to be taken lightly, but from what he had both seen and felt, the strength that had opposed them was something that definitely had Orochimaru's name written all over it.

He shot a side glance at Pein, wondering what he made of the whole solution. After all, the Ame-nin was supposedly one of the most powerful in existence, thanks to his Rinnegan. Deidara let out a small breath of annoyance. Human knowledge was turning out to be very limited these days.

He hissed slightly in frustration. What business did humans, even shinobi, have with the supernatural? This shouldn't have been dragged into their affairs in the first place. He didn't understand it, but he had to know what exactly was happening. He had a feeling that the simple explanation of wanting the chakra of the tailed beasts was not the true reason.

He glanced back, and caught sight of Sasuke, who seemed troubled. Or at least, more troubled than usual. He frowned, and averted his eyes before he was caught looking. He couldn't remember the last time he had been so serious about anything without his explosive anger.

"You." His shoulders slumped. Why could he never be left alone to his thoughts for even a moment?

"Uchiha." Deidara sighed and adjusted the avian to make sure everyone remained balanced as the raven stepped closer. Deidara made no move. After all, if the Uchiha wanted to harm him in any way, he would wait until they were all on solid ground.

"What's going on? I could scent the stench of snake everywhere." He glanced behind him to make sure no one else was in earshot of his tone. "Why was Orochimaru there?" he questioned. Deidara frowned, his gaze lowering to the acres of woodland below them.

"That is for our Leader and your Hokage to tell you," he stated. "To tell things that even I don't understand...would be unspeakable, un." Sasuke gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists.

"So you're saying that even though you know, you still don't understand? What makes it so different with your leader and the Hokage?" he questioned. Deidara's eyes drifted back to the Uchiha for a brief moment.

"Tell me. What has you so strung up, un?" he asked. Sasuke glared at his back.

"I asked you a question first," he retorted. "Besides – it's none of your business." Deidara puffed out a small sigh, his eyes lidding over partially.

"Just as this information is none of your business, un," he replied.

"What do you mean none of my business? Why was Orochimaru there?" he whispered hotly. "Don't tell me you couldn't sense it – it was all over the place! The Sound Five were there too, and so was Kabuto." Deidara couldn't help the slight smirk that crawled onto his lips. So the Uchiha really was a prodigy to sense a chakra signature as masked as the medic's.

"You think that because you trained under that snake you should know?" Deidara questioned. The Uchiha really shouldn't have any idea of what was going on. No one should have. He sighed. Worst of all, it seemed as though Naruto was the very core of this now.

The Kyuubi, which was sealed in him, was the only one of the Council of Nine that had not been taken and subdued by Seiatsu. Deidara hadn't the slightest notion of what was in store for them all, but all he did know was that Seiatsu could not get their hands on the Uzumaki.

"We're going to find out anyway, what's the use of hiding?" Sasuke demanded. "You've been the enemy, so why do you have the right to know?" Deidara turned around, his one visible eye to the Uchiha.

"If you consider us the enemy, and if we die by your hand, that may spell certain destruction, un," he stated quietly. His eyes narrowed. "Do as you will, but I will request one thing of you." He could see the look of visible surprise on the Uchiha's face. He smirked.

"What do you want?" Deidara turned his head back forward.

"If Orochimaru has begun to move, then we cannot allow him to lay his hands on Naruto, un," Deidara stated. Sasuke's hands clenched back into fists at the mention of the Uzumaki.

"Why are you so familiar with the dobe?" he questioned hotly. Deidara chuckled slightly.

"Perhaps you should ask that to Naruto himself, un?" Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"Why, are you not at liberty to say that either?" he demanded. Deidara raised his gaze to the sky, lazily observing the clouds as he continued to navigate above the Land of Fire.

"Actually, I'm at perfect liberty to tell anything and everything about all of this and the Akatsuki as well, un," he replied lightly, a tiny smile curving onto his lips. It dropped a mere split-second later. "I just choose not to."

"Why?" Sasuke asked, frustration dripping off his voice as he tried to keep his questions secret to everyone else aboard the giant clay bird. Deidara frowned.

"The answer is something that can be learned, but can't be explained." Deidara grinned, and turned to glance at the Uchiha over his shoulder. "You know, Chibi-tachi, I think you have potential to find it, un," he added playfully. Sasuke's eyes widened.

"What the hell did you just call me?!" Deidara merely laughed. He could practically feel the vein throbbing again the Uchiha's forehead, but ignored him completely. "Say that to my face again, bastard!" Deidara simply ignored him.

The blonde's smile wiped itself off his face, and he stared back at the forest floor. He wondered if Naruto was back within Konoha yet. Probably. He also wondered what the gatekeepers would do when they saw three members of the Akatsuki headed towards the village.

With a sigh, he pulled the leather gloves out, and slipped them back onto his hands. He just hated those things – it was like trying to suffocate himself through his hands. After all, regardless of where they were, those were still his mouths, right?

"Maa...were those Orochimaru and his henchmen?" Kakashi asked. Pein nodded. The scarecrow shinobi glanced down at Konan. "What were they doing there?" The Akatsuki's leader fixated him with his purple eyes for a few moments before turning away.

"That will be told first to your Hokage."

"Ah...you mean Tsunade-sama already knows you're heading over?" she questioned. He didn't bother glancing over.

"She should – after all, we have told her what is going on. You will find out sooner or later, but in the meantime, what is confidential must remain confidential," he replied. "There are a few things that must be immediately conveyed," he added.

He bit his thumb, and lowered the appendage onto the clay bird, summoning a black eagle. Straightening up, he allowed the bird to hop onto his arm. He stared at it, as if silently communicating with it, before nodding, and launching it off.

Without a word, he walked up to Deidara, leaving Team Kakashi and Konan further down the bird. The blonde turned to look at him quizzically.

"Deidara," he called. The blonde merely nodded, before setting the bird on a course for the ground. Once they had landed, the Ame-nin stepped off the bird, and Deidara lowered Konan into his grip. He glanced around for a moment, before nodding. "You may go," he stated.

The Iwa-nin took his place at the head of his creation, and once again began to take off. Pein glanced around the scenery before pinpointing a spot, and staring at it. Slowly, a certain bi-coloured member of the Akatsuki shimmered into view.

"Leader-sama."

Deidara glanced back at the spot where he had left the two before sighing, and speeding up the creature that they stood on. He frowned as he noted they wouldn't make it there until possibly night. At least the speed was faster than travelling by foot.

"Deidara-kun?"

"Fall back and regroup, un. They will be headed for Konoha," he stated calmly. Sakura couched slightly.

"That's a reason to worry, right?" she asked nervously. Deidara smirked.

"I've been in the village for a day and no part of it has been destroyed, Haruno-san. I'm sure there isn't too much reason to worry, un." He chuckled slightly, his long bang blowing back to reveal his scope. He took in the forest around him before shrugging to himself.

"Ah, Kitsune-san must have reached Konoha about a half-hour back," he mumbled to himself. The speed of the blonde would never cease to amaze him. He really had to go and talk to the Uzumaki about that. To think that seven years ago he was rather a brat.

Deidara's lips curved up slightly as he recalled those many years ago. Naruto had been doing nothing but rambling about his dreams and returning to the hideout covered in bruises from training. Deidara sighed. It seemed as though the training had paid off, but...

He shook his head. No, Naruto had his friends surrounding him in the village. They'd be able to keep him on the correct path. After all, they did seem genuine. He smirked. Even the Uchiha. Somehow, despite all this, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was still wrong.

He frowned, and swept lower above the treetops. Something just didn't feel right in the atmosphere. He stole a brief glance behind him, but it didn't seem as though anyone else could feel it. Perhaps it was only his imagination.

Still, for the sake of precaution, Deidara maintained his flight pattern just above the thermal. He wondered if Kohaku had reached Itachi and Kisame yet. His eyes narrowed. Speaking of which, he wondered how Sasuke would react to seeing his older brother again.

Deidara frowned. He was doing a lot more thinking than he was used to, and it was growing troublesome. What's worse, he didn't even feel like speaking his thoughts. Then again, perhaps that was a good thing.

With a small sigh, he continued forward, ignoring the three behind him. The sad thing was they could go no faster, as a more streamlined creature would only carry one. He blinked, his eyes widening. Why didn't he think of that before?

Tearing off a glove with his teeth, he lowered his hand into his bag of clay. Now if only this would hurry up... He glanced out over the woodland. Yeah...something definitely wasn't right. He wondered why no one else could feel it.

A moment later, he pulled out three clay birds, and threw them into the air. Forming his seal, the three immediately enlarged. He glanced at Team Kakashi behind him, and jerked his neck for them to hop onto the other three clay figures.

"Go on, un. This way it's faster," he stated. Sakura was the first to jump onto one, keeping her feet planted firmly on it. She was then followed by Sasuke and Kakashi who hopped onto their respective spots.

The figure that Deidara himself was riding on modified to look like their before he sped up their flight pace without warning. This way, they should at least make it there by mid-evening.

* * *

Naruto jumped out of the black vortex that tore into the air just ask Kurama broke out of the forest. He stretched his arms out before waving at his mentor, who barely looked tired for the battle or the running.

Glancing at the city gates through his mask, he dispelled the kage bunshin drawing Kurama back into him, before walking into the village without a second thought for the gatekeepers. He broke into a run for the Hokage tower.

Jumping up onto the roofs he continued to head upwards before landing on the roof of the tower, just above the office. Lowering himself down onto the sill, he sneaked into the office, before standing in front of the Hokage's desk, and clearing his throat.

She was sleeping again...wonderful. He sighed. Normally he would go about yelling kami knows what in a volume that could make buildings collapse for all its sonic power, but he wasn't trying to be the most suspicious person within the village at the moment.

Humming quietly to himself, he allowed red chakra to seep into his hand causing it to grow more beast-like, before tapping the rhombus shaped mark on her forehead with the claw of his index digit. He sighed in relief as she began to wake up, before dodging as a fist was thrown in his direction.

"Calm down, Hokage-sama, it's me," he called, out, his hand reverting to normal. She stared at him for a moment before coughing and sitting up properly, her hands folded atop her desk. She eyed his burnt clothing, and blinked.

"Where is everyone else?" she questioned.

"They should be heading over at this moment," he replied. He glanced around the office in for a moment, before a simple gesture from the Godaime dismissed the ANBU guards. He nodded thankfully, and lowered his mask.

"I couldn't stay longer unless Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan or Sasuke would recognize me. To be honest, I'm a little surprised they haven't." She raised an eyebrow, before nodding.

"And your report?" she asked. He sighed.

"The Gedo statue has been broken, the bijuu freed, and Pein-sama and Konan-chan were out of commission," he replied. She frowned.

"How could they have been beaten though?" she mused. "The Akatsuki have been some of our most powerful enemies?" Naruto frowned deeply, gazing down at his mask.

"That's just it. The exact attackers were Orochimaru and his henchmen. Somehow, they say their power has increased due to their hatred. Power enough to do what they have done," he stated. "Normal jutsu would have been useless against them, but the many other jutsu I know would be overwhelming. The most that could be done was delay their attack on the statue until everyone else arrived, but..."

"Stop." He silenced himself, and awaited further instruction. She sighed.

"This could be disastrous. I don't even want to begin on how Orochimaru can possibly contain the bijuu, especially with all their power." Naruto frowned.

"Speaking of which, I do remember. When the bijuu were freed, they were in their true form, but it didn't seem like they were in their true consciousness."

"Meaning?"

"They were there, and they could move, but at the same time, it seemed like their minds weren't there – like they were being controlled by something." His eyes narrowed. "Or rather, someone."

"Orochimaru?"

"Most likely. I don't know how long it's taken him for his experiments to take a positive turn, but the fact that whatever has happened is something beyond human comprehension means that he's far more of a threat than the Akatsuki have ever been." Naruto paused. Not that the Akatsuki had really been much of a threat to him or Konoha at all, actually.

Tsunade laced her fingers together, and rested her chin on them as she thought. Naruto waited. The silence between them was something he should have been used to, but for some reason, he was feeling strangely uncomfortable.

His nerves recalled the disgusting sensation of snake slithering over him, and he shivered at the thought. He was definitely feeling unusually restless. That, coming from a hard-pressed assassin who had killed more people than he cared to count, was definitely saying something.

He shook his head slowly, as if trying to clear out his mind, before looking up at Tsunade, who was staring quizzically at him. He sighed, and shook his head once more, this time to tell her that he was fine. Or at least he was sure he was fine.

"Naruto, how much longer will you hide?" she questioned. "You will be discovered sooner or later by someone other than the Hyuuga," she added. Naruto frowned.

"The time will come for that, Tsunade-sama. When it does, it'll be my pleasure to come out of hiding. Until then, I will try my best to remain inconspicuous," he scratched the back of his head a little sheepishly. "Although the fact that I've been twice ambushed by my friends says otherwise," he added.

She rolled her eyes, and glanced out the window. "When will the rest of them be back?" she questioned. To be honest, she was surprised that he had been able to travel there and return in less than a day. For a normal shinobi, it should have taken two or three.

Then again, Naruto had always been full of surprises. She'd learn what to expect, and then he'd go surprise her again. She had learned how to settle for expecting the unexpected, which had actually been a good bet on her part. Still some things were beyond her range of unexpected, and Naruto happened to be one of those things.

Naruto frowned in curiosity before sighing. "Tsunade-sama, is there anything else you want to know, or anything you want me to do?" he questioned. She frowned.

"For one thing, tell me what exactly is going to happen now that Team Kakashi partially knows of our unofficial alliance with the Akatsuki?" Naruto shrugged slightly, before sighing, his eyes dropping to the ground.

"Now that they know, they can either accept it, or deny it. Either way, it won't change a thing. The only thing I need, is for nothing uncalled for, such as full out battles against each other." Naruto lifted his head, and stared at the Hokage. "Tsunade-sama, now that Orochimaru has killed the first pawn, we need to have some way to easily be in contact – other than me, of course." He chuckled lightly.

"Do you really think I was bluffing about the Kitsune persona?" he questioned. "I have not, Tsunade-sama. The only difference, was that those times, I had a different mask. I have worked for all the great shinobi nations for things that I deem right, and I also get paid accordingly – a mercenary," he stated. His features softened into something almost amused. "I doubt the citizens of Konoha will take it very well if they see all of the Akatsuki wandering freely about the village."

"You intend to allow them into the village?" Tsunade questioned, her eyes narrowing. Naruto chuckled slightly.

"I doubted you would take that lightly," he responded. "Leave that situation to me, Tsunade-sama. When they all arrive, I can take them to see you or vice-versa if you're still antagonized about all of them being within the village." She smirked.

"I see you already have something in mind, brat. I'll trust you with this one. How long will it take for all of them to gather?" she questioned. He returned the smirk with a slight of his own.

"If not late at night then sometime tomorrow," he replied immediately. He noted the raised eyebrow, but spoke no further. She nodded.

"That sounds reasonable. Just let me know when they arrive, and by no means freely allow them into the village until they receive my permission which they do not yet have," she droned. He shrugged.

"I have no intention of doing so. I doubt they will take too lightly having to be retained within the village either. As a matter of fact..." he shook his head. "Never mind. I'll take care of everything concerning the matter," he replied. She nodded, before glancing out the window behind her.

"By the way," she began, her eyes drifting over to where he stood. "How do I know I can trust these Akatsuki?" she questioned. "Although Deidara seems fairly genuine, I can't guarantee that the others are as well. How do I know we can trust them not to stab us in the back?" she questioned.

Naruto frowned. He knew the question still hung in the air ever since he had told her that the Akatsuki were to be their allies. He didn't blame her though. They all had an extensive criminal record that was not something to be taken without thought.

"You don't have to trust them," he stated calmly. "You can trust me. If you wish, I will deal with that matter too." He averted his eyes momentarily before looking up once more. "After all, I am a Namikaze-Uzumaki, and that name can tell my story better than I can," he stated.

He head shot up, and she whirled around to face him. He gazed calmly at her, his normal composure regained. He refused to back down however, and crossed his arms over his chest, his posture relaxed, and yet ready.

"If they do try anything, I do hope you don't underestimate both my speed and stamina, but if we really are as riled up about each other as you seem to be, then we can put the sealing skills inherited from my mother to good use," he stated calmly.

She stared at him, her mouth opening and closing, but no words exiting her lips. He sighed. He knew that information was just as top secret as the fact that his alter ego was a merciless fighter and assassin, and that he had been training under a demon.

He shook his head slowly to himself before staring out the window behind her, his eyes distant. "I apologize...I must be rambling again," he stated softly, a breeze blowing through the open fixture and ruffling his sunny hair. She cleared her throat.

"Naruto, I wish to speak with Kurama-sama. You may go after you call him. I want you to rest, and relieve that stress on your mind. I don't know what happened, but you are to listen to me, do you understand?" she stated crisply.

He bowed, summoned a kage bunshin, and left the room as soon as his mentor had possessed it. Kurama watched the Uzumaki go, before joining together the sleeves of his yukata, and staring regally at the blonde woman.

"I assume you have much to ask me," he stated. She almost snorted.

"That's not much of an assumption at all when I made myself clear the moment I sent the boy out. Now. Answer me. Why did you tell him?" Kurama blinked slowly.

"Why keep the secret from him? He was never a foolish child, Tsunade-hime. His wisdom was always hidden behind that childish mask of imprudence. I have a feeling he's been putting together the pieces ever since he was six. He was just missing far too many." Her eyes narrowed.

"He's still too young to have been burdened with that information! Now he'd more vulnerable than ever to the elders of the village," she replied coolly. Kurama's eyes narrowed.

"Do not underestimate my charge," he commanded. "Many people have made many false assumptions about who he is, and I do suppose he is to blame for his façade, but when I say I know him far more than all of you, I mean it." He sighed. "I've been with the child ever since he was born."

"Speaking of which...Naruto's been acting strangely ever since he returned. Kurama-sama, I know you already explained to me before, but I have a feeling it's something more than that, don't you?" she questioned, standing up, and walking over to stand just at the window.

Her brown eyes trailed across the village, before raising themselves to the sky. "It's been hanging in the air for a small while now," she murmured, not even knowing if he could hear her. "Something feels strange, like a crucial balance has been toyed with and upset."

Behind her, the demon lord merely lowered his eyes. The story had already been conveyed about the mission they had just returned from, but she was right. There were many things more, and all of those things did not point to anything good.

* * *

I know Sasuke doesn't usually snap like that, but I think he wouldn't be too pleased if someone called him 'Chibi-tachi'. I just love that name...I made it Sasuke's new nickname! Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Chibi-tachi. It has a nice ring to it, yes? No? Oh. Okay. "  
Reviews are love! :D and they make me happy. That too.


	16. Chapter 15

Herro~ Thanks for bearing with me with this for so long~ Maybe not that long, but if you're still reading this it counts as something, right? Anyway, I've been conflicted about whether this would turn out as ItaNaru or DeiNaru, because I love those two to bits. Even though it might not have seemed like it, I was actually about to do ItaNaru, but then I decided against it because DeiNaru needs waaay more love, and ItaNaru is already quite popular. So...if you bear with me, even if you may not like the pair, I hope you can tolerate it! :D

Back home after a technically failed mission. One can't really expect anyone to be too pleased about the situation at all. Things are growing strange within the Uzumaki, and there seems to be only one person who can explain it. It's a pity Naruto forgot to ask.

Disclaimer: I own nothing~

* * *

That I May Protect

Chapter 15: Found

* * *

"All right...thank you." Naruto nodded in the direction of the man he had been speaking with before walking away. He glanced up at the sky, his brow furrowed in thought, as he headed for his apartment complex.

He glanced down at his clothing before finally realizing that he should probably put on something else before someone caught him like this and questioned him. Either that, or... He slipped on his mask and broke into a run, making it to his flat in no time.

Looking around, his eyes narrowed as he searched for that of others. Sensing and spotting no one, he drew in a soft breath, and entered his house. He tugged his sandals off his feet, and set them to the side, before pulling off his haori.

Curling a lip at the scorched fabric, he folded the article of clothing and placed it on a dresser. Walking over to his closet, he opened it, and grabbed another outfit. Wryly, he realized this was the third time this day he'd had to change clothing.

Quietly, he wondered if he could have left Konoha out of all this trouble if he hadn't returned. He pulled a new set of clothing out of his closet and walked to the bathroom. Perhaps if he had stayed away, then he would have become a lone target instead.

He shook his head slightly as he slipped off his shirt. Even if he hadn't, Konoha would still be a prime target for Orochimaru, who had already tried to destroy it once. Naruto frowned, and changed out of his singed pants as well.

Konoha was only going to be dragged into the situation anyway. Besides – his location had been strictly confidential as well as constantly alternating. Orochimaru would have expected him to be in Konoha either way.

Setting his mask down on the counter, he stared at himself in the mirror. He noted that the purple whorls within his blue eyes had grown a little more vibrant in shade, making them more evident to anyone looking directly at him.

He wondered why. His lips curved up slightly as he recalled the times where his eyes had been entirely blue. The days where he had never decanted the Kyuubi's chakra into his body. One might as well call it his own now, as he manipulated it near perfectly.

He turned on the sink, and splashed his face with cold water, before shaking his head from side to side, water droplets flying around the bathroom. He sighed, and wiped his face dry before taking his scorched clothing and exiting the bathroom. He placed said clothing on his dresser.

He winced and glanced down at his leg, realizing that his wound had once again begun to bleed. Frowning, he headed over to his bed, and sat down, placing his mask on the windowsill. He lifted his leg, and began to unwrap the bandages, allowing the soiled strips of fabric to fall onto the sheets.

He shifted his leg into somewhat of an awkward position, and took a good look at his leg. His eyes narrowed. It should have healed by now, but it looked just as bad as the moment he'd first been cut through with the chakra from Kurama's glaive of the celestial sphere.

With a huffed sigh, he slid off the bed, and headed over to the dresser against the opposite wall, favouring his injured leg. Pulling open a drawer, he opened up a first aid kit, and pulled out ointment as well as a fresh bandage.

Quickly, he applied both, leaving his leg looking just as it had when Sakura had seen to it after that training session with Kurama. Naruto stared at his leg for a moment more, before snapping the first-aid kit shut and sliding the drawer closed.

He carefully walked back over to the bed, and leaned against the windowsill, staring at the village from within the confines of his small apartment. He closed his eyes for a small moment, and felt the warmth of the sun beat against his face.

Opening his eyes, he lowered them to the ground, and couldn't help the small smile that curled onto his lips. Below him, on the street, children were playing a game of tag. Naruto's eyes softened at the scene. That was what he wanted, wasn't it? For children to be able to play without danger.

His gaze clouded over and he turned his head away. That wasn't going to be the case for much longer, was it? He frowned. Maybe there was some way to divert this entire things someplace else. He growled softly to himself, and shook his head slowly.

He tended to overthink things to the point where other people didn't even know when or how he had travelled from point A to point B within his mind. Naruto could almost roll his eyes at himself, did he feel any urge to do so.

He wondered what was taking Kurama so long. He hoped Tsunade hadn't tried to hurt him...although he could probably dodge easily, and even if she did hit him, he was in the body of a kage bunshin. He would simply dissipate.

A deep sigh passed his lips as he allowed himself to collapse onto the bed, his body sprawled over the mattress. His eyes darted from the window to the ceiling, which suddenly became interesting with all it's cracked paint and dents... He just realized he needed a desperate brush up on this place.

With a small hum, he allowed his head to loll to one side as he stared at the door. Come to think of it...this place was rather lonely. He knew he had been ordered to rest, but all that those sorts of things urged him to do was disobey.

Not that he wanted to, of course. It was merely as though his body grew restless every time he tried resting at an hour that was not nighttime. Some days, he was even inclined to not sleep for days upon a time. Although it was admittedly unhealthy, it was an asset when he was given missions.

He allowed his eyes to slide shut once more, attempting to rein in the instinct to move around or do something that would doubtless be strenuous for his body. After doing so for seven years, it really could become a habit.

A few moments later, he found himself drifting into light slumber, despite it only being early evening. His chest rose and fell ever so slightly with each barely audible breath he drew in and exhaled. It was almost hard to believe he wasn't dead at first glance.

That too had been a result of harsh training and bitter missions, which had resulted in him keeping his presence as inconspicuous as possible when executing any form of mission or even while asleep. It was another asset, but at the same time, took its toll on his body.

An hour or so later, there was a creak of a door opening as another blonde stepped into the room with an about to be spoken declaration of, 'We're back! It, however, died on Deidara's lips as he caught sight of the sleeping Uzumaki.

Almost in amusement, Deidara quietly stepped over, and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at Naruto. He had never seen the blonde sleep before, and even if he had, Naruto would always snap awake due to his inhumanly sharp senses.

Deidara had learned to be quiet around these times, but he still never managed to catch the Uzumaki off guard. However, it seemed as though being in the village gave Nauto a sense of security that allowed him to let down his guard, even in not completely.

Deidara inspected him for any sign of burns from the fire jutsu that he had barely dodged, and was please to see that they were nonexistent. The Iwa-nin's eyes trailed over the blonde's body, and stopped at his leg when he caught sight of the bandages.

His eyes then drifted over the bed, and fell upon the bloodied bandages that the Uzumaki must have forgotten to dispose of. Deidara frowned. It was like Naruto to not tell anyone about these things, but even Deidara knew he was a quick healer.

The artist crossed his arms moodily, wishing Naruto was awake just so he could snap at him for running straight into battle without a second thought even though his leg was injured. While it was true that Deidara had urged him to go ahead, the sculptor had in no way told him to dive headfirst into combat.

"...Deidara?" The Iwa-nin jumped off the corner of the bed that he had been sitting on, a slight grin on his face as he eyed the Uzumaki sheepishly.

"You were sleeping, and I didn't want to wake you up, un," he quickly interjected before the blonde could say much else. Naruto shook his head slowly, and sat up, motioning for the Iwa-nin to sit.

"It's fine. I shouldn't have let my guard down like that," he stated. "For how long heve you been in here?" he questioned. Deidara took the invitation to heart, and re-assumed his position on the edge of the bed.

"Not long. Probably a minute or two, un. Do you always sleep this lightly?" Naruto frowned.

"It's habit. Sleeping so lightly has saved my life more than once," he replied tersely. Deidara was about to open his mouth to argue, but the look in the Uzumaki's eyes made his jaws snap shut. Naruto stretched his arms above his head, and looked around.

"Where's Kurama-sama?" he questioned. Deidara grinned.

"He's out in the living room, un. He said he's been there for about a half hour." Naruto immediately tensed, and Deidara chuckled. "Calm down, Naruto, un. He's not angry." Naruto nodded slowly.

"So you've all finished reporting to Tsunade-sama?" he questioned. Deidara mock-pouted, before rolling his eyes.

"You just wake up and the first thing you talk about is business, un?" he questioned sarcastically. Naruto rolled his eyes and delivered a light smack upside the Iwa-nin's head.

"Go grouse about your problems to someone else. I can talk about what I want when I want to," he responded almost immediately. Deidara held up his gloved hands disarmingly.

"Yes, we finished reporting," he replied. "Oh, and Leader-sama stayed back and called for the other Akatsuki to regroup, un. Zetsu should be healing Konan-san, so she's fine. They should be headed here sometime tomorrow, un." Naruto nodded.

"All right. I'll ready everything soon enough," he stated, before glancing out the window. "You all arrived early." Deidara nodded.

"It should have been faster, un. I made three other birds so that we could all travel faster on an individual ride." Naruto sighed slightly, and allowed himself to slouch back onto the bed.

"You've always been strategic, Deidara," he stated, his voice somewhat faraway. Deidara blinked, before laughing.

"Me? You've got to be kidding, un." Naruto shook his head.

"No – you are," he replied seriously. "The only fault with your plans, is that if they fail, you'll end up committing suicide if you can't think up of something else." Deidara shrugged.

"I'm still alive, aren't I, un?" he responded. Naruto nodded slightly.

"My point exactly."

The Iwagakure missing-nin rolled his eyes, and playfully hit the blonde's head with the flat of his hand. Naruto raised an eyebrow, and returned the motion. Deidara grinned, and jabbed him in the ribs, causing a small bark of surprise to pass his lips.

Naruto growled almost playfully, and tacked Deidara onto the bed, pinning him down with a victorious glint in his eyes. Deidara chuckled, and rolled over so that Naruto was now the one with his back to the bed. Naruto's eyes flashed at the silent challenge, and he pushed himself up.

Deidara was not expecting the quick movement, and in no time found himself pinned down by his shoulders once more. He grinned, and they began to scuffle with each other, completely forgetting how the mini-fight had started in the first place.

Naruto soon found himself pinned down once more, and despite how hard he tried to free himself, the Iwa-nin held him down firmly. He growled, his neck straining upwards at the artist's smirking face. Deidara merely chuckled, and held him down.

"What, may I ask, is going on here?" The two blonde's turned to the doorway to see a slightly amused Kurama watching them, his arms crossed over his chest and a finely sculpted eyebrow raised at the sight of the boys play-fighting.

Deidara quickly moved off Naruto, and sat on one side of the bed, chuckling sheepishly, while Naruto simply sat there as if nothing had happened. He stole a side glance at the sculptor, who was still laughing idiotically, and rolled his eyes, a small quirk lifting his lips.

"We...that is...we may have gotten ourselves into a small skirmish," he replied, his voice perfectly composed. Kurama gazed at him, the tiniest glint of amusement in his amber eyes. He shook his head slowly, his long mane of red hair swishing from side to side at the movement like ripples on a lake.

"And to think I thought you've grown out of such habits, kit." Naruto could feel his face heat up slightly, and he lowered his head.

"Ah...I apologize." Kurama sighed, and shook his head once more, his eyes closed and a slightly despairing expression curving onto the contours of his features.

"What do you apologize for?" he questioned. Naruto glanced up before averting his eyes.

"For acting in such a way...I shouldn't be so childish.." Deidara watched him, a frown curling onto his face at the Uzumaki's words. He glanced over at Kurama to see what the demon lord would say next.

"Is there really a need to apologize for that? I myself must say that it's somewhat of a relief to see you acting like this. After you gave yourself entirely to your training, you somehow seemed to have lost the ability to be a child. This is healthy for you to act in such a way, kit," Kurama explained patiently.

Deidara's frown disappeared. That was better... He glanced over at the Uzumaki to see his reaction.

The expression on Naruto's face could most certainly count as a surprised one. He glanced up at his mentor, who merely smiled ever so slightly at him, before turning to exit the room without another word passing his lips. Naruto raised a hand.

"Wait!" The fox demon turned his head to look at the two over his shoulder, his eyes calm.

"Yes?"

"Why did you come here...?" Kurama turned his head back forward, a smile playing on his lips.

"I wanted to see if you were awake yet. That's another thing, kit. You haven't slept during the day for at least six and a half years." Naruto frowned, but before he could say anything, Kurama went on. "It seems as though you've managed to retain some form of the natural human instinct."

With those words, the demon lord walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Deidara glanced over at Naruto, who exchanged a look with him.

"What was that about, un?" he questioned. Naruto shrugged slightly, his eyes distant.

"What I've been doing for the past years overrode whatever natural instinct I had, so the routines that I have are somewhat different from a normal person's," he replied easily. Deidara frowned, and opened his mouth, but Naruto shot him a look that told him to shut it. "I know it's not healthy, but I'm used to it, and so is my body. I'm perfectly fine." Deidara raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" His eyes drifted down to the blonde's leg, and Naruto silently cursed. He had forgotten to discard the old bandage. "Care to explain that, un?" Deidara questioned, an accusing digit pointing at his freshly treated leg. Naruto shrugged.

"It's nothing. I must have stretched the wound during the battle and torn it open again." The look on the Iw-nin's face screamed that he didn't believe him in the slightest. Naruto frowned. "I actually have no idea how it re-opened. I'm certain that It should have at least been a scar by now. But still – I'm fine. I heal fast, you know that."

Deidara sighed, and stood up, before beginning to walk over to the door. Naruto gazed at him from the bed. "Where are you going?" he questioned. Deidara turned around, and shrugged.

"Somewhere...I need to check into something," he responded, before heading out the door. Naruto stared after his back, before sighing and lying down on the bed. His gaze drifted over the ceiling before he rolled over so that he was facing the window.

A V-formation trio of sparrows flew past. The day was already dying. He closed his eyes, and drew in a soft breath, cool air brushing over his face like silk. He lazily raised his arm and opened his eyes, pulling his hitai-ate off the sill.

It still had the hold burned through it by his Hakaigan. He'd have to get a new one sooner or later. He didn't know what would be said if he wore a hitai-ate with a hole born through it. Speaking of wear, where would he wear it anyway? His forehead wasn't exactly an option any more.

He shrugged to himself, and set the ruined object back on the sill.

He wondered what Deidara seemed so stressed about. Come to think of it, the blonde had been like that ever since arriving at Konoha. Maybe it was due to the fact that he was technically trapped within the village. Naruto shrugged to himself, and sighed.

He hoped the other Akatsuki would be more comfortable with the other arrangements. He couldn't imagine having to deal with not one, but ten members if they all grew stressed because of the situation. But most of them were not the type to lose their composure easily, so perhaps that would make it a little easier.

He glanced at the door, which was slightly ajar from when Deidara had left, and wondered if Kurama wanted to stay in the kage bunshin for the time being. Naruto wished he could actually free the demon fox so that Kurama would not have to settle for possessing a shadow clone, but he knew that if that were to happen, one or both of them would die.

He frowned. He was thinking too much again about things that would only serve to stress him out. He shouldn't be doing such things – especially not in the middle of any sort of crisis or while out on a mission regardless of what sort of mission.

He had been trained in that area too, so why were all these doubts suddenly flooding his mind? His lips curled back and he hissed in annoyance. He wasn't normally one given in to doubt, but that seemed to be the case this time. Now if only he could understand why...

Naruto allowed his eyes to slide shut and he welcomed the sight of nothing but blackness. Sometimes it was comforting to be unaware of what was around you, he supposed. Unaware of what was around you, and not thinking about it as well.

He knew that if he did begin to think, the worst-case scenario would immediately come to mind, and he'd begin working himself to the bone just to figure out how many ways he could either avoid or overcome it. It was a bad habit of his, really.

With a small frown, he allowed his eyes to slide open ever so slightly, allowing a sliver of light to slide into his peripheral vision. He chuckled dryly. Such a small amount of dim light seemed so bright when it was surrounded by darkness.

He closed his eyes. And yet, even then, it could vanish entirely if one wills to simply shut one's eyes. If one didn't want to see the light, all it would take was one simple action. One simple action to be thrown into a sea of darkness, until one decided to open one's eyes again.

Naruto shook his head slowly. Why was his mind suddenly taking this route? It wasn't like him to muse about things such as these. It was more of him to wonder when his next assignment would be handed to him. This trail of thought definitely was nothing like him.

His eyes snapped open, and he sat up, leaning against the wall. He crossed one leg over the other and sighed, staring at the floor of his bedroom. All of a sudden, the small space seemed much smaller than it had earlier been.

He shivered slightly, before wondering why his body did such a thing. From what he could currently feel, the air was not in the least cold. Cool, perhaps, but still not enough to provoke any reaction from him. Or at least, it shouldn't have been.

His eyes lidded over halfway as his gaze trailed over the wooden flooring. He tilted his head back until he was staring at the roof. He really did have a lack of things to do whenever he wasn't training, or did not have any missions or assignments. He groaned softly at the prospect, and lowered his head until he was staring at the wall directly before him.

He slowly stood up, and walked over to it, before kneeling down. He lowered at the wall, wondering what he was even sitting here for. He glanced over at the door of the bedroom from the corners of his eyesight, wondering if Deidara was going to be returning any time soon. The Iwa-nin didn't seem to be in too good spirits when he left. Naruto hoped he wouldn't cause too much trouble.

His gaze drifted back to the wall before him, and he blinked. He was working his mind too hard, wasn't he? Thinking all matters of strange things. He didn't even know why he was sitting in front of a blank wall right now. Now that he thought over it once more, he felt rather foolish by acting out of impulse rather than thought.

He blinked slowly, before deciding to forego his own wiser judgement. His instinct had yet to prove him blunt. Allowing red chakra to seep into his right hand, he watched quietly as his nails grew into something more animalistic; both longer and sharper than a human's nails.

He raised the index finger of his right hand, and allowed a small portion of chakra to remain in his fingertip. After a moment's hesitation, he slashed through his left wrist, the fervency of his action almost severing his arteries. Already they were beginning to heal over, but at a considerably slow pace compared to before. Almost that of a normal shinobi. Almost.

Naruto chuckled to himself as he allowed his nails to retract to a more human appearance. He dipped his finger in the blood that was pooling from his wrist, and raised it to the wall. Slowly, he began to trace a pattern he had never seen before onto the wall with his own blood. His lips parted slightly.

"Asurta mide akena sundi iyrine iyrine sakarnu feinta aosuyre kanta fira kandata miru lasaro isaro janandi itra yumaku sere kosiye grisa miteni iryu condata fervo calida resuda iruyo..." Naruto's eyes widened slightly and grew blank as he continued to trace his bloody finger over the previously pristine wall.

His mind was most likely not paying attention to his surroundings, as he did not notice quick pace but fairly quiet footsteps heading in his direction. His finger returned to his bloody wrist before he raised it back to the wall. A circular sort of diagram was being drawn by his bloodied appendage, but it didn't seem like he was even aware of it.

"Sundra ituro karite harinu mideri..."

Kurama stepped into the room, and stopped short at the sight that met his eyes. His eyes then widened in something that could almost count as shock as he watched the blonde kneeling by the wall, seemingly lost in his own world.

The demon lord's eyes narrowed, and he observed the scene under calculating eyes. After a few more moments of going unnoticed by the Uzumaki, he sighed softly, an unreadable expression crossing his eyes.

He quietly stepped out of the room, and shut the door silently, leaving Naruto to his own business. The redhead then went on to the living room, and reclined on the couch, his eyes somewhat troubled, and quite obviously faraway.

He heard the sound of a knock on the entrance door, and he blinked, before turning his head to see who was entering the Uzumaki's house. It was rather late, so the only person who would do such a thing would have to be-

"Ah, Hello, Kurama-sama, un." Kurama merely dipped his head in acknowledgement of the long-haired blonde.

"Good evening, Deidara," he responded, more automatically than anything, his voice slightly airy in tone due to the fact that his mind was currently not focused on the blonde who was removing his sandals by the doorway, but on another blonde.

He turned his head away from the artist, and almost lost himself in his own thoughts did he not hear the sound of footsteps headed for the bedroom. He tensed, and slid to his feet. Quickly, he walked over, and grabbed the sculptor's shoulder.

Deidara turned to look at him in surprised, and he stared coolly at the Iwa-nin, warning overshadowing his eyes. He growled slightly in the back of his throat, before releasing the Akatsuki member. He, however, made no move to leave.

"Do not enter that room," he stated calmly, his eyes flashing.

* * *

Weird talk...By the way, whatever the hell Naruto is chanting is not in a tongue known to mankind, but merely a figment of my imagination. If any words do happen to be in a language known to mankind, that is merely coincidental. Don't worry - Naruto isn't emo. He has a reason to be doing what he's doing, and that will be revealed in chapter 16!


	17. Chapter 16

Hello once again~ And thank you so much for the faves/follows/review. You may not know how much it means, but it means a hell of a lot, so thanks!

SunMoonKitsune: That was an enthusiastic response~ Thanks for the support! I'm glad you think so. Here's your chapter sixteen. It's basically more character retrospect and explanation, but it makes things less confusing. ;)

What on earth is Naruto doing? Kurama knows and Deidara wants to find out. None of the answers our artist is given seems to be satisfactory, though? Just what is going on? And why does Naruto have to go through it?

* * *

That I May Protect

Chapter 16: Pierce

* * *

"Why not?" The long-haired artist tilted his head upwards slightly so that he could make eye-contact with the demon. What could be so significant that he was not allowed in there? He frowned. "Is something wrong with Naruto, un?" he questioned. The demon lord sighed.

"I wouldn't call it wrong," he responded. "He's just occupied with an important matter and cannot be disturbed." Deidara glanced at the door, wondering whether he should disregard the words or not. Although the redhead was implying that he should not enter, it didn't seem like the lord was going to stop him if he did.

"What is so important that I can't, un? I mean...why do you know?" he asked. Kurama's eyes narrowed, and Deidara blinked.

"I refuse to speak of something I cannot explain," he stated. "However, if you do choose to enter the room, you are not to go near or distract Naruto, understood?" Kurama didn't wait for a reply as he turned tail and made to head back to the living room.

Deidara stared at the door for a moment, before staring at the back of Kurama's head. His eyes narrowed. Just what exactly was so wrong about wanting to see a friend? The fact that Kurama was practically commanding him not to made it more worrisome.

Raising his hand, he rapped his knuckles against the door a few times, before remembering that he had been told not to distract the blonde from what he was doing...whatever he was doing. The artist huffed out an annoyed sigh.

Lowering his arm, he instead pushed the door open quietly, trying to make the creaking as little evident as possible. He cleared his throat softly, and stepped into the room, only to stop short, the door shutting itself behind him as he stepped back.

"Kanda ginra issota meri jikare finde..."

Deidara stared, almost transfixed, as he watched the blonde chant out something he could not understand, while drawing on the bare wall with his own blood. The sight in itself was both alarming and enthralling at once.

The Iwa-nin opened his mouth, but could not form any words as he stared, unsure of what to make of the situation. It was almost as if Naruto was caught in some sort of trance...but something within him told him that it was more than that.

His eyes trailed over to the Uzumaki's wrist, which was losing a disconcerting amount of blood. He wondered how the blonde had managed that. Come to think of it, it didn't even seem as if he were in pain either.

Deidara's first impulse was to find bandages and treat the injury, but Kurama's words stopped him. He frowned. Why would the Uzumaki's mentor, of all people, not stop the blonde or help him when he was obviously hurt?

But then again, Deidara had to admit, it seemed as though Naruto was doing something that shouldn't be disturbed. It shouldn't be disturbed, but in itself was disturbing. How curious. Deidara drew in a short breath, and stared at Naruto.

"Hysano treda makoru sundya serta ikani..."

Deidara's mind was drifting between concerned and confused. Surely Naruto must be aware of what he was doing – nevermind that – what he was saying, but somehow it was more like he wasn't even aware of what he was doing.

Deidara tore his gaze off the unsettling yet entrancing scene, and slowly backed away, feeling as though he had seen something he shouldn't have. Then again, that was due to his own choice of not heeding the demon lord's words.

He opened the door, and walked out, before shutting it quietly behind him. His eyes settled on the closed door for a few moments before he closed his eyes, and began to walk away. Once his head was turned away from the door, he opened his eyes.

"You saw, I take it?" Deidara didn't even bother replying. It was just simply that obvious.

He took a seat on another couch in the living room, as the redhead was reclining, his body propped upwards slightly by an elbow that rested on the armrest of the couch. Deidara would be lying if he said that the redhead didn't look like royalty in the slightest. Even if he was sitting on a couch.

He sighed. "I have questions, un," he stated simply. Kurama closed his eyes briefly in acknowledgement.

"I expected as much. Who would you be to see such a thing and not question it?" Deidara didn't bother answering the obviously rhetorical question. "Go on; ask." Deidara frowned.

"Well...for starters, what is he doing?" Deidara blurted. He slapped a hand over his mouth at the rude tone that inadvertently passed his lips. He sighed. "Sorry about that, un. I'll be lying if I say I'm not worried." The slightly amused look in the amber eyes of the fox demon told him that it would be forgotten this time around.

"He has come of age to do such a thing. I'm not certain of how he knew of this, or how he is managing to execute it correctly, but he is. If all goes well, Naruto will be fine – that is assured. Which is also part of the reason that I told you not to disturb him." Deidara pouted slightly and averted his eyes.

"It didn't seem like he would be disturbed very easily from what I saw, un," Deidara stated. "Also, that didn't really answer the question at all." Kurama's expression turned serious.

"I know."

"Then why won't you give an answer, un?" he questioned. Kurama shook his head slowly.

"Because I cannot. I would be able to tell you if I understood it, but I wish to observe further as I do not know how Naruto is doing this in the first place," he stated. Deidara frowned, disoriented by the demon lord's words.

"What do you mean? The way you're talking about it makes it sound like you know what he's doing, un." Kurama nodded.

"That's because I do. I recognize it. But I can't explain it, as I don't know why or how he is doing it." Deidara hissed slightly, gradually getting more frustrated with the redundant answers.

"Doing what, un?" he asked. Kurama shook his head.

"Will it not be enough if I say he will be fine?" the fox demon questioned in response. Deidara shook his head stubbornly. Kurama frowned. "He is performing his Rite of Acceptance. As I said, he has come of age. Although there is one thing that perturbs me..." Deidara leaned forward slightly.

"Un?" Kurama shook his head.

"Save me the frustration. I will tell once I discover more," he stated. "I am just a little less lost for information than you are," he replied. His eyes narrowed. "Apart from that, be glad I'm patient," he stated, his lips curving back slightly to reveal fangs.

Deidara bowed his head slightly. "Trust me, Kurama-sama – I am, un."

Rite of Acceptance...what was that? Deidara wouldn't chance asking the redhead once more. It was a little more than obvious that Kurama didn't want to be questioned further about the matter. Still, that didn't mean he was no longer curious about it.

He frowned in thought, his eyes downcast. Things were only growing more confusing, if he were to be honest. Which he would be with himself, but most likely not with anyone else. There were too many things he couldn't understand – at this rate, it would override his train of thoughts.

Although Naruto's behaviour had slowly changed over the past years, Deidara hadn't caught anything remotely unusual...not even for Naruto.

As in, sleeping late and waking early, but still not being tired...eating something that would suffice a normal person for a day, and be able to go for a week after with nothing to eat...reverting the Akatsuki to a more worthy cause as well as giving them the mind to befriend each other...all of that was normal nowadays.

But this was just a little extraordinary, even for the blonde. All right – it was very extraordinary. Deidara could say that Naruto was under the effects of a genjutsu if he wanted to, but he knew he would only be deluding himself if he did.

With a tired sigh, Deidara swung his legs onto the couch, and rested his neck against the armrest, tugging off his gloves,, and setting them on the floor beside him. He wondered if whatever Naruto was doing was hurting him; it seemed like it from Deidara's perspective.

Although the kyuubi's vessel was admittedly extremely hardy, his body was still that of a human and the lack of proper care would doubtless result in health deterioration. Losing too much blood was unacceptable as well, even if he did heal quickly.

Deidara frowned. Was it really wrong to be worried about Naruto? He knew for a fact that if the rest of the Akatsuki witnessed his unhealthy routines as well as...whatever it was he was doing at the current moment, they would be worried too.

But Kurama had said he would be fine, and since when had the demon lord been wrong? After all, Kurama's knowledge was beyond theirs. He was not a human, so why would his knowledge be limited to that of a human?

With a small groan, he turned his head slightly to stare at Kurama, who, to his surprise, was looking at him. He blinked. Had the demon been watching him the entire time? that was...slightly unsettling. He inched upwards until his back was against the armrest, and he turned his head to look at the redhead.

"How long does this rite thing last anyway, un?" he asked, hoping the fox would have an answer. Seeing the Uzumaki like that was a little unnerving, and he was worried about the blood loss. The blonde's wrist had been veritably soaking in the substance to the point where it had begun to create a pool on the floor.

Kurama glanced at him for a moment before sighing. Deidara waited intently, lest he miss a word the demon lord were to say. This was something he wanted to know, and even if it wasn't supposed to be common knowledge, he wanted to know what was wrong...or rather, what was going on with the blonde.

"To be honest, it varies. It could last for an hour to days. Normally there are times where it just breaks off once, before restarting another completely irrelevant time," he stated. "If that is the case with Naruto, I suspect that his rites may go on through the night, and stop during the day."

Deidara nodded slowly. At least that was considerably more of a satisfactory answer than before. He sighed in frustration, before shaking his head slowly. "All right...what exactly happens during the rite?" he questioned. Kurama closed his eyes calmly.

"That...is something only Naruto may tell you if he wishes to do so. All experiences are different, and never has there been an account of any that have been the same," he stated. Deidara closed his eyes. Perhaps he shouldn't question any more. He was beginning to grow tired of vague answers.

"But doesn't that hurt him? Isn't Naruto going to lose too much blood by doing that, un?" So much for not asking more questions. Deidara gritted his teeth in annoyance, this time directed more towards himself than Kurama.

"He will be fine – that I can give you a hundred percent reassurance. He will be perfectly healthy when he returns to consciousness." Deidara blinked.

"Wait – Naruto is unconscious, un?" he questioned. That would explain why he didn't seem aware of both what he was doing, nor what was going on in his surroundings. Kurama's eyes lowered down to the floor, before replying.

"I wouldn't say he's unconscious, exactly," he finally replied. "It's more like he has been put under a temporary half-conscious state. He's aware of what he's doing, but he cannot stop himself." Deidara raised an eyebrow, before blowing out a soft sigh.

"Has there ever been a record of deaths during this rite thing, un?" he questioned. Kurama stared intently at him for a moment, before turning his head slightly away and averting his eyes. However, he remained silent.

Deidara stared at the fox demon, his eyes narrowed. When a question such as that was asked and received no answer, the answer couldn't possibly be positive. He waited a few moments longer for his reply, but none came.

"Is there a possibility that Naruto could die during this?" he questioned. Kurama lowered his eyes to the floor for a moment, before raising them up to meet Deidara's twin blue eyes.

"I will admit that there is, but it is extremely low. I will tell you this, however. All record of deaths have not been due to blood loss, but something that happened during the rite." Deidara shook his head slowly from side to side. This was a little too much for him to register all at once.

"So there's next to no risk for him then, un?"

"I never said that."

"..." Deidara's eyes narrowed, and he shot to his feet. Bending down, he picked up his discarded gloved, and began to head for the bedroom. "I'm going to make certain that he's all right then, un," he stated.

"...wait." Deidara, who had just passed the demon lord, stopped in his tracks. He didn't know why he did it – there was just something in the redhead's tone that compelled him to stop. He didn't turn to face the kyuubi, but he forced himself to stay still anyway.

"You may go in if you so wish to, but you are not to disturb or stop him, no matter how bad things tend to look. If you do..." Kurama paused for a few moments, as if hesitating. "If you do, there will be a higher risk posed to him."

Deidara's eyes narrowed. He sighed, and bowed his head briefly in assent, before beginning once again to walk. He could feel eyes practically boring into his back, and knew the lord was staring at him without even having to turn around.

"I would never do anything that would pose as a threat to him, Kurama-sama, un," Deidara finally replied quietly, his hand resting on the door. "That would be something unforgivable to do, especially after he has done so much for us."

He pushed it open, before entering the room quietly, closing the door behind him. His eyes instinctively drifted over to the Uzumaki, who was still kneeling by the wall, as his feet led him over to the bed. He sat down, his eyes trailing the scene.

Whatever Naruto was creating on the wall was something even he could call a work of art. Perhaps not true art, but still a form of it. According to his own aesthetic, he could appreciate and respect the work of others, even if his own work was what he considered true art.

It was a little morbid, seeing Naruto chanting and drawing on the wall with his own blood, but Deidara supposed he had seen worse. Namely Hidan, and as long as no one would repeat that to the man himself, Deidara wasn't afraid to admit it.

He crossed one leg atop the other, and layered his arms one on top of the other resting on his knees as he watched quietly. He couldn't help but feel like he was intruding, but a hurt Naruto was, quite literally, one of the last things he wanted.

The mandala-like image on the wall was surprisingly intricate, Deidara had to admit. He hadn't known the blonde was capable of drawing something so delicate. Of course, it technically wasn't him who was doing this – it was only because of that stupid trance thing.

Deidara made a note to question Naruto about it, but he had promised Kurama he would not disturb the blonde. Besides – if it really would endanger Naruto, he would definitely try to kill anyone who attempted to snap the blonde out of it. He couldn't let the life of a person so important to all of the Akatsuki, himself included, slip away just like that.

Interlacing his fingers together, Deidara carefully eyed the blonde, keeping in wary sight the pool of blood on the floor that didn't seem like it would decrease in size any time soon. Exactly what had the blonde been thinking, slashing himself deep enough to cause that?

It was doubtless that Naruto himself had done that, of course. He would have never allowed anyone else to do such a thing unless he wanted them to. Which, of course, he wouldn't if he was in a right state of mind. If Deidara was honest, he really didn't have the slightest clue if Naruto was currently in his right state of mind or not.

"Arrinyi selata mirdu ochyre aseri kireso lagarde nirandi..." That strange mantra continued, pounding into Deidara's mind as he stared through half-lidded eyes. It was night, and he was tired, but he couldn't afford to leave Naruto like this.

As a matter of fact, he wondered how the Uzumaki could even tolerate all this after just having fought a battle that was able to disconnect the Six Paths of Pain and cause Konan to exhaust almost all her chakra. Naruto too had been in that battle and escaped without any new injuries...yet here he was.

He was stuck here doing some weird ritual thing that could possibly be dangerous to him although it wasn't really supposed to be all that dangerous. Deidara wanted a proper explanation, but knew that Kurama wouldn't give him one.

He could understand the direction from which the demon lord was trying to approach him. It as the same one he had approached Sasuke with only earlier that day. Kurama didn't have a full grasp of understanding on the situation either, so he did not want to relay tentative information to him.

But if he was so sure that what Naruto was doing was this Rite of Acceptance thing, then wouldn't he be able to explain it decently? He seemed knowledgeable on the topic after all. Or perhaps...perhaps there was far more to this than meets the eye.

Deidara wondered if he'd suddenly trespassed into dangerous territory. He might as well have. There were many things about Naruto that were completely shrouded within the shadows of mystery, and perhaps there were some things that should remain a mystery as well.

The artist sighed softly as he lazily watched the blonde work, his initial surprise at the somewhat unnerving scene fading, and fast. Now he was merely curious as to what the Uzumaki was doing. About what this Rite of Acceptance was.

Perhaps Naruto would know about this. He did seem to know what he was doing, if his unfaltering movements spoke to Deidara about anything whatsoever. Then again, Naruto was confident with most of the things he did, even if his confidence was shown differently then and now.

Deidara couldn't help but chuckle quietly at the thought. Back then, Naruto would express his confidence through his words. Someone that one might have referred to as a 'loudmouth'. Nowadays, it was through his calm actions that were executed in a way that spoke volumes of knowledge.

Sometimes Deidara couldn't help but wonder at the Uzumaki. He couldn't believe that this was the same child all those years ago who everyone had called a person with no talent whatsoever. The Iwa-nin's lips quirked upwards ever so slightly. Then again, that was just who Naruto was. The person that could prove the world wrong.

"Kanra shentri mikono ritaru tryfo gharti nikotera..."

Deidara was beginning to wonder where Naruto had learned this. It was like someone else was controlling his body and making him do and say this, but there was no one who could do that...no there were people who could do that. There was no one who could do this...whatever this was.

The artist frowned. It was like Naruto was doing this compulsively. Like it had been ingrained within him for the longest of times, and he just had no awareness of it until now. The way in which he spoke did suggest that, now that Deidara thought about it.

He stood up slowly, and began to walk over, but stopped short a few feet away, avoiding the pool of blood on the ground that practically surrounded the Uzumaki. He eyes the blonde's sliced wrist, and realized that the wound wasn't closing. Was this a part too, or was something wrong?

No normal human would still be conscious after losing so much blood – Deidara knew that. But Naruto wasn't exactly a normal human, now was he? He was a human, just not a normal one. Not that Deidara cared. Naruto was still Naruto, and if he was any different, he wouldn't be Naruto. He'd be someone else.

"Anatriya silcori minate karatu sicorda miridu felitri riscade hyaredo mitra santra cordu sileta..."

Deidara sat down on the floor within a closer range of the Uzumaki as Naruto continued to chant, still not seeming to notice Deidara was there. Although for all Deidara knew, the Uzumaki knew he was there, he just couldn't acknowledge it because of this.

He watched as the blonde continued on the work that he was drawing on the wall with his finger. He eyed the image warily, before closing his eyes for a moment. He opened them once more, and fixed a greater amount of his attention now on the image that Naruto was..drawing.

It was circle based – that was easy enough to see. But there was something about it that seemed a little macabre. Perhaps the fact that it was drawn with fresh blood. But that wasn't what unsettled him. Perhaps the symbols he didn't recognize, but nonetheless seemed foreboding.

No..there was something about the diagram itself. Deidara sighed, and shook his head. No, he was thinking too much. There wasn't anything wrong with this, or Naruto would have surely noticed. It was only him being paranoid. Paranoia was foolish – he knew he didn't have time for that.

He glanced down at the blonde, who had now lowered his finger. He noted that the chanting had ceased and caught a pink tongue flick out and swipe at the crimson liquid spilling down the blonde's digit. He blinked. That action seemed so...fox-like. He wondered if it was because the boy was actually the fox-demon's vessel.

He didn't know for how long he had been watching. The night was already lying late out, but for some reason, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind. He had resolved to keep an eye on the Uzumaki during this entire thing, after all.

He watched as Naruto tidied his digit, before staring at the diagram he had drawn upon the wall, not even taking any note that Deidara was practically right next to him. Deidara leaned a little closer, wanting to know what the blonde would do next.

Naruto lifted his right hand, and pressed it calmly into the middle of the image, before closing his eyes, his body growing somewhat stiff. Deidara himself tensed as well, hoping that the blonde actually knew what he was doing. Deidara blinked to make sure his eyes were not deceiving him as a sort of black flame burned across the lines of blood.

Naruto's body suddenly underwent a rapid sequence of spasms, and his jaws gaped open in something that could almost count as a soundless scream as his eyes widened considerably. Deidara was immediately on his feet, and about to help out the Uzumaki.

He then recalled Kurama's words, and forced himself to calm down. However, he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the aberrant scene before him. Somehow, the night seemed too quiet for the sight of something such as this. Deidara felt a shiver run down his back.

Naruto no longer maintained his kneeling position, his body now contorted on the ground, his black clothing soaking up the blood that had been shed from his wrist as he seemed to be struggling against some invisible force, or writhing from some inexplicable pain.

Deidara assumed it was the latter as he caught the vibrant purple that was the Uzumaki's eyes. He tore his gaze away forcibly, biting his lip. He really wished he could do something, but apparently this was something Naruto had to endure alone.

Had to endure alone...Deidara hated that. The blonde had already lived most of his life alone, and even now was struggling for love and acknowledgement to the point where one might think it selfish. Now he even had to endure this alone.

Deidara slowly walked over to the bed, trying to ignore the gruesome scene behind him. He couldn't help it though... slowly, he turned his head and glanced over his shoulder. He immediately shut his eyes, and sat down, his back to the scene. Why was he looking at this? He didn't want to have to watch.

Then again, he had placed that burden willingly upon himself. He just...didn't want to see someone so important to him and his illegitimate family having to suffer such a thing. It was like seeing the victims of Sasori's poison all over again, but this was worse, because he actually cared.

Behind him, Naruto had ceased in movement, his body contorted and stiff, and his eyes opened wide. If it were not for his heartbeat and pulse, one would have easily misplaced him for nothing but a freshly dead corpse.

* * *

OhsnapIkilledNaruto. No I didn't. What's wrong with our blonde? Or rather, where is his consciousness now that he doesn't seem to be awake in the living world? Please review and tell me what you think!


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 out. That's an achievement. To me. :3 So...thank you once again for the faves/follows/reviews! I will keep on saying this as long as it exists~ You guys are AwEsOmE

Xendrax: That was unexpected~ And I do think that Kurama would be loathe to raise false hopes or give incorrect information. I think that he's the sort of character that wouldn't lie. And don't worry - everyone wants Kurama as their sensei ;)

fangirldisaster: Well, I updated :D As for the question, that is an excellent deduction, and roughly accurate. We shall see in the chapter, shan't we?

AUselessMicrofluff: Here's your update! And thank you very much for the compliment! Creepy scenes are my speciality.

Naruto is about to realize just what he's done. Or is he...? It seems as though there's more than one person that knows it all...but what will that one person tell him? Worse yet - what if that one person _is_ him? Wait...what?

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but I do own this plot. Giving me right to do as I wish after disclaiming rights to the characters!

* * *

That I May Protect

Chapter 17: What Dwelleth Within

* * *

Naruto blinked as he was welcomed in a familiar world. A world of pure blackness. He forced his muscles to relax, and shook his head slowly from side to side, before sitting up, and looking around him. He frowned. As expected, he could see nothing.

What had he just gone and done, exactly? He couldn't understand it, although he had done it. That is...whatever it was. He sighed, and pushed himself to his feet – only to find that he couldn't. He winced at the movement, and unintentionally, a cry of pain passed his lips.

He instinctively slapped a hand over his mouth at the noise as if he had just made a deadly mistake, but ended up flinching at the pain that movement induced as well. Sighing, he chose to stay put for the time being, as movement didn't seem to be helping him in his situation.

His eyes trailed around the darkness. Where was he, anyway? The last thing he could remember was pressing his palm to that image he had drawn on the wall...come to think of it, why did he draw that anyway? It was...just instinct, he supposed, but it was doubtless unsettling.

Oh...Kurama had seen him too, hadn't he? Naruto could vaguely sense the demon lord's presence in the room through the haze in his mind. He blinked. And Deidara had been there too, hadn't he? Naruto sighed. He had a feeling he'd have a lot of explaining to do.

The things was, he couldn't explain it. He hadn't the slightest idea where he was in the first place, nor why he was here. He had a small notion of how he had gotten here, but that was it. He didn't even know what here was.

With a small sigh, he closed his eyes, and waited for the initial shock to fade off. He had been a professional assassin for five years. He knew how to deal with difficult situations. The best way to deal with this was to stay calm...

He drew in a soft breath, before opening his eyes and exhaling. Slowly, he slid onto his knees before pushing himself up. He looked down at himself, only to discover that all his clothing was strained with blood.

He glanced at his wrist, to see that it had not yet healed over, but was no longer bleeding. Instead, all that shone visibly was glistening red flesh. He winced at the sight. Had he really done that to himself?...and...did that mean the blood staining his clothing was his?

He blanched slightly at the thought. It had been a long time ever since he'd shed this much of his own blood; it was unnerving to think that the one who would have been the cause of it this time around was none other than he himself.

He turned around slowly to see if he could penetrate the darkness. His purple eyes narrowed, and their pupils attenuated to slits. He frowned, and began to walk, wincing at first, but then growing accustomed to the feeling. It hadn't dispersed permanently, but he could tolerate it.

He lowered his head slightly, glancing at the ground. It was much like the rest of the place. He wasn't walking on ground – he was walking on empty space. Much like his surroundings. He was surrounded completely by nothing but vacant black.

What was this supposed to mean? There had to be a meaning behind this, otherwise he wouldn't be here in the first place. Right? He just wished that someone would tell him where 'here' was. He normally didn't like lowering his own confidence, but he was confused.

With a small sigh, he began to walk forward...if he was walking forward at all. At this rate, he was losing all sense of perceptibility. For all he knew, he could be walking upside-down and wouldn't be aware of it! He groaned, and his palm flew to his forehead. Why was he even bothered about what direction he was walking in in the first place anyway?

He blinked as he felt a warmth near his hand. He pulled ot away, and realized that the warmth was coming from his Hakaigan. He closed his eyes once more. The warmth was beginning to spread through his body, causing his muscles to instinctively relax.

His lips curved up into a small smile as his eyes briefly cracked open, his gaze fixed on whatever it was he was standing on. He couldn't help but feel a reassurance within him. For the life of him, he couldn't understand why, but it made him feel as if this was where he was meant to be at the moment – wherever 'this' was.

He opened his eyes fully, and stared around in the darkness. Surely he couldn't have been sent here for merely the sake of it. There had to be something behind all this. He looked around once more, before closing his eyes once again, and drawing in a quiet breath.

"If anyone here wishes to speak to me, then speak now or I will take my leave...somehow." To be honest, he hadn't the slightest idea of how he could get out of this place, but he wasn't about to waste his time staying here either. He had a meeting with the Akatsuki tomorrow that he needed to go to.

He could hear laughter that sounded almost warm and in a way familiar, but he could not pinpoint where it was coming from. He slowly turned, but saw nothing behind him, nor around him. He frowned. Did whoever was behind this simply intend to laugh the entire time?

He blinked as the blackness around him began to melt away, falling to his feet like peeling rice paper or something similar. He blinked as the veritable darkness was replaced with something he would have never thought would be in a place like this.

He frowned. Something still wasn't right. He glanced around at the ethereal scene around him. He seemed to be in some sort of exquisite garden pavilion fashioned from white marble. Or at least it seemed like white marble...It was rather wide – almost the size of the Gedo Statue cave – and just as tall.

Sunlight flowed in through the roof of the pavilion, carved elaborately by someone with immense skill, and hit the floor of the pavilion casting intricate shadows on the ground. Naruto almost couldn't believe this was what had been hiding behind all that black.

His took in his surroundings, and would definitely be lying if he didn't admit it was one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever set his eyes on. He wasn't a botanist like Ino or anything, but he was sure not even the Yamanaka herself would be able to name all the flowers gathered in this place.

There were some he himself had never seen before. He could almost count them as otherworldly. He'd travelled across the shinobi world while he trained, and had seen his share of the vegetation, but sitting here, he felt as though he hadn't seen half of what was here. More than that, even.

He felt almost unworthy to have the privilege of seeing such a beautiful place, much less stand within it. It was no place for he, who had shed so much blood with his own hands, and had taken more lives than anyone would ever care to count.

"Lift up your head, Naruto-kun," the voice called once again. It held that same warmth that came from the laughter. Naruto compulsively did has he was told, and his eyes widened. He blinked, and lowered his head, shaking it slowly, before looking up once more to see.

Pillars were supporting the entire pavilion, but closest to the one parallel from him, was a sort of wall. It was fashioned from the same white marble and was as tall as...Naruto could only describe it as being about a head taller than Kurama.

But that wasn't the least of his concerns – he could see walls anywhere. What did catch his attention, was the person that was seemingly tied to the wall with what seemed like extremely flexible and thorny rose branches.

He blinked. He didn't know what exactly to make of this. The person who had dragged him into this was some person who was tied to a marble wall with roses? He almost sweatdropped. Once he phrased it like that in his mind, it seemed rather foolish.

Indeed, before him was a rather pale man about his age. The branches that secured him to the wall suspended his arms outstretched to either side of him, and his legs together in a standing position. The thorns had already cut into his skin if the trails of red spoke of anything.

His face seemed strangely similar, and his long hair was something that could only be described as platinum white. It was straight, but in no way limp. As it floated about him like feathery wisps. It fell to almost his knees in length.

What caught Naruto the most, however, were the colour of his eyes, framed by long white lashes. That warm amber seemed so familiar...it was deep and mellow, but he could have sworn he'd seen them somewhere else before...he bit his lip.

"Have you figured it out yet, Naruto-kun?" the man questioned once again with a smile. Naruto noted that his voice was a rich, resonant tenor that held a familiar since of regal authority, and yet, at the same time sounded kind.

He took in the rest of the man's appearance. He leaned more to the slender side, yet didn't seem weak despite the fact that he was currently held fast by those roses. He was dressed in a white kimono embroidered in yet another familiar gold thread.

Naruto noted that the gold thread created foxes on his white attire, and the kimono was held together with a once again familiar gold obi. His eyes narrowed. It couldn't be...could it? It...just wasn't possible. Was it?

His eyes drifted back to the man's face, and he blinked as he caught the eight pointed star, which had before been covered by his bangs, on the man's forehead. It too was a warm gold in colour, and stretched from his hairline to a point directly in between his eyes.

Naruto noted that these marks were also on his hands, and now that he bothered to observe, his bare feet as well. There was something about this man that seemed awfully familiar, and Naruto had a feeling he knew what it was. He just wasn't sure whether he should believe it or not.

"...are you...?" The man smiled at him once more, and Naruto blinked.

"Ah...you have pieced the clues together, I presume? I commend you – now do you choose to believe it, or deny it?" the man questioned. Naruto shook his head rapidly from side to side, before pausing, his eyes dropping to the ground.

"I...I don't understand...what's your name? Why am I here? Where is here? Why are you here like this? Why are you even here in the first place?" he blurted out, taking a step closer to the man, who seemed to be light itself personified.

"Stop." Naruto, who was about to take another step forward, paused and set his foot back down. It was then that he took true notice of his bloody attire, and immediately felt ashamed for having to approach such a person like this. He glanced over at said person.

"I...I apologize." There was that smile again. Naruto was beginning to wonder how a person could smile so much when in that situation anyway. He was still bleeding, for goodness sake! Wasn't he worried about himself?

"There is no need. I understand that you have many questions. I wish I could provide something more comfortable for you, but..." He glanced forlornly at his suspended arms and body, before shaking his head, his smile still on his face. "As you can see, I am in no state to do so."

"Let me help you!" Naruto immediately offered, making to move forward. The sharp glance of those amber eyes stopped him in his tracks, before softening at him.

"I can understand your heart, Naruto-kun, but I'm afraid I cannot allow you to do that. That wouldn't do at all. Please bear with me – I will try to answer your questions as well as I can." He closed his eyes in another smile. "As you can see, there is no need to fear me, so you may ask whatever you wish. One at a time." Naruto frowned, and his gaze lowered.

"I know this seems imprudent of me, but how old are you anyway?" he questioned. The man chuckled, the movement causing the thorns to scrape his moon-pale skin, causing contrasting red to spill over him.

"I am the same age as you exactly, Naruto-kun. Born at the exactly same moment as you were. I am precisely how old you are." Naruto glanced up at him. Same age he may be, but he seemed older than that. Perhaps it was his maturity level. As a matter of fact...

"Do you have any family?" Naruto almost winced as the question passed his lips. It was a painful question for him, so if the man was anything like him, it would be painful to answer as well.

"As a matter of fact, I do," the white-haired man replied easily. He did, however, refuse to elaborate further on what he could possibly mean. Naruto nodded slowly before another thought came to him. Another question he probably should have asked first.

"How do you know me?" The smile disappeared into a more serious expression on the man's face. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he waited for a reply. It seemed as though the man was hesitant to answer this question. Finally, he heard a sigh.

"I will answer that...later. Ask whatever else you wish to know first," he responded. Naruto sighed. He should have known from the hesitation that something like this would occur. He nodded anyway.

"Where am I?" he questioned. The man's lips curved up into that now familiar smile. For some reason, all those smiles seemed warm and fond – like this man was a close family member or something similar.

Family...that reminded Naruto of his own family, not related in any way, but still family. He had to finish this soon, or before he'd know it, morning would come and he'd still be here. He was curious about this place and this person, but he had his own duties to attend to.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, you are within the depths of your own self," he stated. "From this, I can see we have both come of age." Naruto blinked. What?

"Come...of...age..?" he questioned. The man nodded his head slightly. Naruto supposed he would have done more, but those thorns really did look painful. Naruto would have to ask why he was trapped like that anyway, and why he couldn't receive help.

"Indeed. We are both old enough to deal with this, so at the moment, we are," he replied. Naruto blinked slowly. This was only growing more disorienting.

"What is...'this?" he asked. The pale man raised his gaze to the roof of the pavilion in thought.

"Ah. I believe it is called the Rite of Acceptance," he responded. Before Naruto could speak, he cut in. "You want to know what the Rite of Acceptance is, I know," he stated. "It is an important ritual in any demon's life." Naruto opened his mouth almost immediately after the statement had been uttered.

"But I'm not a demon!" The man closed his eyes briefly, pale lashes fluttering.

"I am."

Naruto tensed. Now that he noticed, the man's eyes seemed even more similar to someone else's...his pupils were not round like a human's, but instead narrow – almost slits.

"Then why am I pulled into your rite?" he questioned softly. The man tugged his arm forward, causing the thorns to dig into him, and cut his skin further. Naruto noted that although he was bleeding slightly in more than one place, there were no scars marring his skin.

"Because, Naruto-kun..." he paused, before shaking his head slowly to himself. "Ah...forgive me. I've been discourteous. I never introduced myself, did I?" he questioned. Naruto slowly shook his head, feeling like he should give a response anyway to the rhetorical question.

The man chuckled softly. "My apologies. Allow me to introduce myself, although I cannot do so properly because of obvious reasons..." he tugged slightly at his restraints again. Naruto was beginning to wonder if that hurt at all. "My name is Shigure."

"Shigure..." Naruto couldn't help but feel that the name the man had been given stretched deeper than simply appearance. It signified his emotions – his inner self. A slight smile curved onto Naruto's lips at the thought. As a matter of fact, the name suited him perfectly.

"There's more to anyone than ever meets the eye, both you and I know that," the man – Shigure, stated, after a short glance at him. Naruto nodded slowly, before glancing around.

"Why are you here within the depths of me, then?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Isn't that just a little unsettling?"

"Not at all. For you, perhaps. For me, no," Shigure responded, his face growing serious. "You see, I am..." he drifted off. Naruto nodded for him to go on, a vaguely curious expression on his face directed at the man. "Wait a moment."

"For what?" Naruto asked. Shigure shook his head, his eyes downcast.

"Perhaps first I should explain this before I explain who and what I am," he stated. Naruto frowned.

"If you think that's the best way to take this, then I have no complaints," he stated. Shigure nodded slowly.

"Indeed. Now to begin. The Rite of Acceptance is what one can call a ritual of balance, for one to truly be one with oneself." He chuckled. "When worded like that, it may be rather confusing, I understand, but allow me to explain.

"The Rite of Acceptance is an important ceremony, you could say, in a demon's life. During this, it is possible that the participants of the ritual could die, in forewarning." Naruto frowned.

"Wait-"

"Hold the questions for now," Shigure broke in before he could continue. Naruto frowned. Shigure really did remind him of someone else, and he was sure of it now. "I can assure you that the majority have not died throughout this ritual.

"Anyway, to continue, the difference between a demon and a human is that a human's soul is forced and set in unconsciousness to the day that person dies. In other words, while the person is alive, their soul is out of commission, and unable to do anything, but when they die, their body is out of commission and their soul lives on.

"Demons on the other hand, are fully conscious is both body and soul. This is actually a rather delicate affair, as the body is conventionally the one making all the decisions and other things without being aware of the soul's desires. When this happens, the soul grows dissatisfied and restless within the body, and tends to attempt to take over the body. It is only natural.

"A certain age is when this event is accounted to happen. Instinct has been born into all demons, even if it has never been spoken of to them, to perform this rite in order to either force their soul into submission or make peace with them and develop an agreement.

"This has, for many years, been dubbed as the Rite of Acceptance. Conventionally, all demons perform a certain ritual out of their own instinct before falling unconscious in the real world. Their conscious then travels to the deepest recesses of themselves where they are to meet their souls.

"Usually, there is some form of combat between the body and the soul if both sides are disagreeable. If the body wins, then the soul is forced into submission and will remain in a state of subconsciousness within the body. If the soul wins, it will possess the body. Souls that do this are normally evil, and must be obliterated immediately, as distressing as it may be.

"If not combat, then the soul and the body will merely speak with each other to form a sort of agreement with each other. This is normally the safest form of dealing with the ceremony, and will most likely be the safest as well.

"You see, I say ritual of balance in this case, because none of us are inclined to fight each other. We maintain a balance in each other, rather than fighting for the dominance of one or the other, or even forming a contract that may cause the dominance of one anyway.

"In other words, since you are here merely by normalcy and not for battle nor diplomatic speaking, this is merely for you to meet me and I you as well as for us to become acquainted with each other. This is another difference between demon and human.

"A human is destined to never meet its soul while it is alive. It is only when the human is dead that the soul begins to move. A demon on the other hand, can easily be categorized as having a multiple personality, as body and soul are conscious at the same time, and either can be seen at any time depending on how they act.

"A demon's soul will remain unheeded until they are dragged into the Rite of Acceptance. It is only then that the body is aware of the souls existence. But that doesn't mean the soul isn't aware of the body's existence. Because the soul resides within the body, we are able to know you as well as you know yourselves because we are, basically, a part of you.

"In other words, you have undertaken something that is completely normal, so you needn't have any apprehension about being here. As a matter of fact, I've been wanting to meet you for so long now. I wish I can greet you properly, but..." he tugged softly at his restraints. "I can't."

Naruto lowered his eyes and frowned. There were plenty of things that had been explained to him, but there were still many that he didn't understand. He wasn't sure whether he should ask or not, as he wasn't sure he wanted to know, but if he was here to meet Shigure, he might as well, he supposed...

"There's something I don't understand," he stated. Shigure hummed in acknowledgement, urging him to go on. "If you are me, then aren't you supposed to look similar to me or something? Aren't you my soul?" he questioned. It was one of the many he wanted to ask, but he thought it would be a decent start.

"I never said I was you, Naruto-kun. I merely said that I was a part of you." Shigure sighed, and hung his head slightly, a bitter smile curving onto the corners of his lips. Naruto's frown deepened. This was only growing more confusing.

"But aren't you my soul? If I'm supposedly meeting my soul in this place..." He cast another glance around at his ethereal surroundings.

"Indeed I am," the pale man replied simply. Naruto's brow furrowed. He shook his head slowly, before stepping closer to the restrained man that was supposedly his own soul but looked, acted, and sounded nothing like him.

"But...why am I partaking in a demon ritual if I'm a human?" he questioned. Shigure lifted his head and stared directly into Naruto's still purple eyes with his own amber before sighing.

"I told you before. You may not be a demon, but I am." Naruto blinked.

"But...how can my soul be a demon if I'm a human?" he questioned. Shigure stared at him. "Does this mean I've been a demon this entire time? My parents were human, not demon!" He shook his head rapidly to clear his mind.

This information was only serving to confuse him further. He knew for a fact that his parents were Uzumki Kushina and Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage. Had not Kurama said so himself? Never before had the demon fox lied to him, and he knew that Kurama wasn't about to stoop that low any time soon either.

He looked at Shigure, hoping that he would receive an answer, but all he saw was a sad smile and forlorn eyes. He noted that Shigure's gaze was not upon his face, but upon his forehead. He could sense nostalgia rolling off in waves from the demon.

"So it would have been me..." the pale demon murmured softly. "I never knew...I'm honoured." Naruto wondered what on earth the man was murmuring about. The situation was beginning to irk him, because this man seemed to know the inside out of this entire situation, while he knew next to nothing.

"Please tell me everything," he stated. "Who you are, what you are, what you are doing inside of me, how you got inside of me, why you are inside of me – please tell me everything. You are, after all a part of me, and know everything about me. It's only fair if I am the same with you."

Shigure dipped his head in acknowledgement, thorns scraping his collarbone at the movement. Naruto stepped closer to the bleeding demon, and held up a hand, moving it closer, but stopping a few inches away from touching the white garments that clothed him.

"And please stop forcing yourself to move if it will hurt you," he added. "I hope you'll explain why you're restrained like this as well..." he gazed at the structure that held the demon fast, only allowing him loose movement. "I have a feeling that this is not normal in the slightest, am I not right?"

"Indeed." Shigure smiled in assent, but otherwise didn't move. He didn't speak for a small while, but then arched his neck back slightly, his gaze eyeing the blue sky above them, and his long hair swaying as wind blew through the silent pavilion.

The only disruption around the beautiful but at the same time morbid sight due to the fact that an equally beautiful demon was being held to a wall of marble by the thorn-infested vines of white roses that so perfectly matched the colour of his hair and garments. Shigure opened his mouth.

"My name is Shigure. I am the third and youngest of three triplets. My mother's name was Akane, and my father, who I am certain you know very well, is named Kurama."

* * *

Oh my, what have I done now. I have no idea. Let's see...I shall confuse Naruto/readers even more before making sense of this. Shall I? Shan't I? Ooooh look~ Chapter 18 next! Reviews are greatly appreciated!


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